To Touch Heaven
by Lasako
Summary: Three years after Kagome's death, she is brought back to life in order to follow threw with her mission... To somehow help Sesshoumaru... Only question is... What does he need help with?
1. Chapter One: Revised

**_REVISED: Please thank your fellow reader: a touch of insanity, for their assistance in this process. The suggestions and corrections were highly appreciated and I'm looking forward to seeing more soon!_**

Authors Note: (Note should be about one page long, please scan over) Okay it has been nearly two years since I've written anything; and, as I go back and read some of my work, it makes me wonder why anyone even gave me a second look! I continuously kept my characters OOC for my own benefits simply to make my story work (I knew and accepted this at the time, however I realize that I made a mistake). I've stopped concentrating on my fictions half way threw, giving them a rushed and disorganized feeling. Not to mention that I wasn't very descriptive (as much as I hate to admit this), and my original characters were truly annoying and two-dimensional.

Why?

… Because I became very lazy and no longer cared… Because it became easy for me to gain the reviews I so cherished before in the beginning, because my plots were liked… This will not happen again, however…

I would like to take a moment and personally ask, everyone who reads this, to repeatedly get on my case about any tiny thing they see…

If there's a spelling error, report it, and the correct spelling.

Feel the chapter(s) are rushed? Tell me!

Feel that the characters would NEVER act/say/do what I'm making them? DEMAND it be re-written!!!

My chapters are more then a week late (give me a week, after all, I've got a fourteen month old who demands and deserves my attention), RATTLE THE CAGE AND DEMAND ACTION!!!

If you don't want a pathetic excuse of a fiction, then DO NOT ACCEPT ONE! Tell me when I'm throwing off my game; or when you feel that I can do better! If you feel that a chapter is not long enough (and be realistic with me), then tell me! … If I can do it, I will certainly try; even if it means taking a little longer to update (of course, to add even more descriptive detail, speech, and actions), and if it can't be done; I will explain why.

That brings me to my final plea… DEMAND EXPLANATIONS when you are confused!!! If I can't explain it, it will be changed!

… Kagome's marked? How? Why does she have to be marked if his sent is already on her?

E-MAIL ADDRESS: flaminglasako yahoo . com (please delete spaces)

If you can't reach me at my e-mail, then IM me and tell me the problems you have with my story, the mistakes I made, or simply that you would prefer a longer chapter/revised chapter! Don't, however, IM me with needless rants without giving an explanation on how I might fix whatever problems you might have.

Also, if you dislike the ending (which will not come until later), then please ask me to write a ALTERNATE ending!!! I want you to walk away from this fiction with a smile on your face or a tear in your eye… I want this fiction to be something that you're GLAD YOU READ!!!

Tell me what you want, what you need, what you desire!!!

Because, if you don't, then don't complain to me at the end. XP

Oh, and by the way INSERT STANDARD DISCLAIMER HERE

-Sako-

**Summery**: _After her death, Kagome sees that her life has only just begun… Kagome has died after the fight with Naraku, leaving the now completed jewel to Inu-yasha, giving him his chance for the love he lost. Then, three years later, she returns threw the well with a new life, a new look, and a new mission… Sess/Kag Romance_

To Touch Heaven

Chapter One: Our Loving Savior

Inu-yasha's blood had spilled onto her body, mixing with her own as it dripped to the earth below, steadily growing in depth… The strength in her body was beginning to wane as she felt her love's shuddering gasps for breath; as though trying to force the air back into his lungs… She could feel his body trembling in fear, hear his cries of pain and despair…

A trickle of blood fell off his chin, landing into the corner of her eye, mixing with her unshed tears and forcing them to slowly drip out, leaking onto her chin, then into her hair. His mouth moved silently, and she realized he was telling her something… Something important… She couldn't tell what, however, and so his words went unheard by the dying girl.

She suddenly felt a soothing hand brush her hair, murmurs of comforting words drifting into her without the slightest worry. She slowly became detached to the world around her; clinging to the voices and gentle touch… The pain slowly ebbed away, giving room to the caresses and whispers that reminded her of the love she'd never been able to touch in seventeen long years…

Inu-yasha felt the last breath leave her body hours ago; yet he couldn't believe it… He refused to believe it… Kagome… Innocent, loving, forgiving, loyal Kagome… His perfect half… Crouching over her body he pressed his face into her stomach, screaming with anger and rage… Screaming in misery and dejection…

The slight weight of the shikon was balled into his fist, now pink from Kagome's purity… It had taken her life to complete it, consumed her time and energy threw out the years. It forced her to leave behind her time… Her family… her friends, school, and any hope of living successfully in her own era…

Now it had simply taken her…

A sob tore threw him, racking his frame as his arms tightened around Kagome's still body. Unwilling to release the only soul to accept him completely… Even after the insults, betrayal, and anger… He'd been such a fool… His soul screamed for her, his body cried for her… He knew it was as it should be, that the pain inside him was something that needed to be there…

It didn't stop his eyes from moistening.

It didn't stop the anger and betrayal he felt.

It did, however, remind him of what Kagome had pleaded for him to do only two days before; should this occur… Something, though he now desperately wished he'd never agreed to, that kept her from his arms, yet returned her incarnation to his side…

He felt guilty as the thought gave him comfort, as though he had once again managed to betray the woman within the circle of his arms…

He considered ignoring her words, bringing her back so that he would still have her by his side… She would be angry, at first, but he was sure she would calm down and get over it with time… However, she would have to spend the rest of her life in danger of demons attempting to steal the jewel over such a selfish wish…

Another sob tore threw his body as he realized that Kagome made her final wish because she knew it would remove him from the decision… Her final gift of understanding… So that he would not only live, but also live with the love of the only other woman to accept him as both human and demon… The one Kagome knew to be the only other woman to hold his undying love and affection.

He raised his head, their blood masking his features as he gazed into her face… Filled with peace and wonder, even with the bloody tear streaks running down her face, drying onto her pale cheeks… It was as though she'd accepted her death with nothing short of thanks… He couldn't bring himself to blame her, as he touched the large hole that had once been her heart.

… _Naraku_…

How he wished the monster still lived… He needed an outlet for the rage of injustice that was steadily filling him; yet he had none… He couldn't even yell at his friends, as they were on the other side of the battleground, nursing each other… Unaware of the tragedy that had befallen upon them as of yet… He was loath for them to realize that Kagome and Inu-yasha hadn't yet joined them; crossing the distance to see what kept their friends from joining them in victory…

His breathing became ragged as he clenched his eyes shut, gritting his teeth from another painful scream… She'd hadn't been stolen from him…

She'd never been his… She'd been the living angel of people, no matter the race or breed. She lived for others so that they might live to love… But… She'd given him her heart.

He hadn't even realized what her gift meant… Never guessed that he wouldn't have the time to figure it all out… It wasn't fair… It wasn't fair for her to have lived at his side, constantly feeling in second place because his stupid pride kept him from telling her the truth; because his fear that she would ultimately reject him when he would most need her… Keeping her at arms length simply so that she wouldn't know how he truly felt.

… Thankfully, she knew him better then his feeble acts would allow… She got under his skin, digging further and further, until she'd finally reached his soul, reading him like she would have read her stupid textbooks… Just as he could read her… Simply looking into her eyes he could tell everything she thought, felt and believed…

Sango, Miroku, and Shippou walked towards their friends, tired smiles on their faces as their victory brought a skip to their step. Kirara laid on Sango's shoulder, purring in contentment even as her scratches and cuts continued to bleed in their bandages, Kagome's medicine and herbs working to relieve the pain from the battle.

Shippou held the aspirin bottle tight within his fist, a smile on his face as he ran the rest of the way towards his surrogate mother; knowing that she would probably like some to take her pain from her as well. Inu-yasha could deal with it, however, as there were only two in the bottle now, after Sango, Miroku, and he had all taken a couple as Kagome had instructed.

"Kagome!" He shouted happily, his small feet racing down a slight hill, covered in bloody grass and broken flowers, "Kagome! We won, we won, we won!!!" He screamed, jumping up high to land on Inu-yasha's slumped shoulders.

That's when it hit him… The sent of his beloved surrogate mothers blood, reaching his nose, and taunting him with the loss of two maternal… He quickly closed his eyes and choked, words escaping him in his sorrow and misery… Kagome had been his whole world, the only person who had taken him in as a son, and treated him as a mother would have… She'd wiped tears from his eyes, gave him praise where praise was deserved and wanted… Giving him the love he'd so desperately wanted, with a smile and a tender hug…

He felt the tears threaten to fall as he closed his eyes tighter, biting his quivering lower lip… He could feel Inu-yasha's tortured, shuddering gasps beneath him as he cradled her head to his chest while kneeling in their blood… Crying over his loss in a way that tore his small heart into slivers…

"… Inu-yasha?" he asked weakly, patting his head softly to gain the hanyou's attention. He felt him stiffen at the touch and hesitated, before he wiped his face on his torn sleeves and looked up at Shippou, trying to remove her blood so the pup wouldn't have to see it… However, the red streaks remained… Stained onto his skin.

Shippou couldn't hold it back any longer as the pain tore from his throat, falling off of Inu-yasha's shoulders and between the hanyou's arms and Kagome's body. He curled himself there, latching onto what was left of Kagome's school uniform, stained with blood and caked with dirt and grass… His mother didn't deserve this…

She deserved laugher and love… A life filled with joy with the people around her as she returned the feelings of happiness and contentment that she received… She deserved to live her life freely, without worry of being hurt…

How could he have failed her?

Another sob tore from him, so deeply he felt as though it cut into his heart and ripped it even further apart… Until all that was left was a hole to match the one his hand now rested beside as he gripped the fabric and shoved his face deeper into her belly.

She suddenly felt her being lowered, then felt himself become extracted from his place, and fought to remain. Silver hair, now tarnished slightly brown from dried blood, was gripped in his hands as he pulled, scratched, bit, and kicked.

When he felt himself being enclosed in a warm embrace his body went ridged, then slowly relaxed as he sobbed into Inu-yasha's battered and torn clothes while the hanyou attempted to comfort him even in his own sorrow… Something that he would never have done, had Kagome not accepted him as her son; thereby, marking Shippou as his in Inu-yasha's perception…

Without knowing it… They had become family…

And now they had lost the very reason.

When they sensed the others presence behind them, yet didn't bother to look… Knowing that they knew without being told… Kagome had been everything to their little family… Lover, mother, friend, confidante, savior, sister… The list went too far to fully know, yet they all understood…

They had lost her…

And they wouldn't be getting her back.

Authors Note: (Yes, I often leave two notes.) All right, that is the prologue to the story (hence the reason for the short length)… Before you all start screaming at me, I would like to explain that Kagome IS dead, but she WILL return! … How? Good question! . (Obviously isn't going to say)

Anyhow, this took me, on total, about seven hours to do… Other chapters won't take me as long, I promise… I just have this trouble on the first chapter (another reason why I begin with a prologue), and it always takes me longer because… Writing openings for the characters and such…

Now I would like to explain something… The reason why I didn't put in Sango's and Miroku's grief is because I wanted to focus on Inu-yasha and Shippou, the two people she affected most in her life… And I didn't write down Shippou saying 'mama' because it just seems so… I dunno, it just doesn't seem right… Perhaps it's because I'm watching 'Inu-Yasha' on Adult Swim and have missed a lot of episodes because of lack of cable, and haven't heard him call Kagome that, yet.

Inu-yasha (in my point of view) isn't acting OOC… Then again, you all would probably know more then I would on that subject as, again, I've missed more then a few episodes, therefore I've missed more then a few twists… If you are displeased with this, then please tell me why and how I might fix it. I'll do it as quickly as possible so it will only interfere slightly with the update/writing schedule.

Anyhow, thank you for your time in reading; and I hope you've enjoyed this chapter enough to come back and read the next once I finish and upload it. Please read and review, and if you've got any questions then IM me! . I'll answer all that I can, considering that I don't want you to know all of the plot twists I have in mind for future chapters.


	2. Chapter 2: Revised

Authors Note: (Don't worry, not as long as last time) All right, I've made it to chapter two! Hopefully I've been given some suggestions before I submit this next chapter for you to read. Revision's are in progress and should be updated directly after this chapter has been submitted for your viewing. Thanks to everyone who responded and gave constructive criticism, you may read my responses at the end of the chapter. . If any more are found, please bring them to light and I'll work on fixing the problems/mistakes! … Also, I need the correct way to spell Kiade's name (I'm somewhat sure that's not it, but not positive), because I don't have it. -.- If someone could sent it to me that would be wonderful.

Disclaimer: … All right… I'm not really god… Damn!!! Bob pokes her with a hot fire poker OW!!! Double damn! Fine! I don't own Inu-yasha… Now get out of my face, I have to gain incriminating photos and plot my victory… I'll need as much chaos as I can gain… Does anyone know how much it costs to bribe a nudist colony and a zoo? . 

Bob: If anyone knows of a good legal defender then please send all information via e-mail… LASAKO!!! SHIT!!! TAKE THE DAMNED SPONGE OUT OF THE TOASTER!!!

Lasako: Blinks But I'm making portable sponge cake!

To Touch Heaven

Chapter Two:

Inu-yasha stood beside Kagome's mother, dressed in a black morning suit, his hair tied back with a single black ribbon in respect to the precious woman now being lowered into the ground… He'd even donned the black hat that Kagome's mother had given him without argument. The wind howled against this injustice, and he couldn't blame it… To put someone like Kagome in the ground was unthinkable… Yet here they were.

He could hear Kagome's friends quietly crying to themselves as they attempted to comfort each other in weak hugs and half-hearted shoulder pats. Hojo, the one Kagome would have gotten with had she not met him, stood across from him on the other side of the casket, his head bowed in silence… He hated all of them… Did they even know whom they lost?

He closed his eyes against the bright sun, feeling slow and detached from his surroundings as the long white casket was lowered into the ground by a machine off to the side… Inch by inch it seemed to creep under the earth as slowly as the sloth moves in a tree; only everything else seemed to speed up… He seen a long line of people form in front of him and Kagome's family.

Some shook his hand, while others gave comforting words he couldn't really hear… He knew Kagome's mother felt the same way from the lack luster look in her eyes… He suddenly felt as though he should spring into action… Stop the current events and go back into time to warn himself of the loss he was going to have… Prevent it from happening again…

Yet it wasn't meant to be as the casket finally hit the ground and the same people that were offering condolences were now throwing flowers into the hole… Kagome's hole… His beautiful love's final resting place… A stinking hole in the ground…

It seemed like mere seconds had passed, yet now they'd returned to Kagome's house and were sitting at the dining table drinking… Something… He looked down into his hands, noticing steam rising forth into the air… Whatever it was, it was something hot, and it kept his cold hands warm as he wrapped them around the steaming mug.

Kagome's grandfather was talking, using his hands to gesture around the room… Probably something about Kagome's spirit still being with them if he correctly guess the look on Souta's face as he glared down into his cup. Each of them still wore their morning clothes, so he figured they must have only recently returned to the house… Kagome's sanctuary that he so rarely allowed her to return to in his haste to retrieve the shards…

Kagome's mother sat, looking at Inu-yasha with sorrow in her eyes, as though condemning him for her daughter's untimely death… He couldn't meet those eyes… They reminded him of Kagome's own emotional blues that haunted his now sleepless nights, begging for him to love her while smiling at the same time…

It was to much for him to take…

So, instead, he continued looking into his cup, finally noticing that they'd placed coffee in front of him… Black, bitter, and strong…. Probably in hopes of giving him enough strength to raise his head up instead of allowing it to flop around his chest…

"Inu-yasha…" the sound of his name startled him, causing him to jump slightly, before he looked up into the eyes of Kagome's mother. Her eyes were staring at his ears in concentration, a frown marring her still smooth brow as she continued; "Have you made the wish, yet?"

He closed his eyes and bowed his head in guilt… "No…" the truth was that he couldn't bring himself to do it… Even now, four days after her death, he'd avoided even looking at the now completed Shekon that dangled around his neck under his clothes… He was afraid to… He couldn't understand why, yet he feared that if he lost the Shekon, then he would lose Kagome completely.

Her mother nodded her head in understanding, "You have to, Inu-yasha…" she whispered, her lowering onto the table before her, "It was the only thing that Kagome wanted." She paused for a moment, shaking her head, wishing herself, that they could use the jewel to bring back her baby girl, but knowing that it wasn't meant to be…

She now had lost two of the people she most loved before they had time to fully enjoy the life they'd been given, leaving her to deal with the pain and sadness without even a goodbye… Though she couldn't be angry with them… Kagome's father hadn't known… and Kagome herself hadn't wanted to know…

When she looked up to Inu-yasha, wanting to say more, she found his chair empty. The coffee he'd been clutching onto like a lifeline sitting on the table without a ripple to show he'd even been there in the first place… She knew he wouldn't return… That she would never again see the boy that her daughter had loved so completely…

She would miss him.

Inu-yasha returned to his era, still dressed in the black suit, holding onto his own clothes loosely. Standing by the well, staring into it's magical depths and cursing it into oblivion in his thoughts… If it hadn't been for the damned thing Kagome would still be alive, he'd still be in his cursed sleep, and Kikyou would still be dead…

It wouldn't have been great, but it would have been worth it… Kagome would have lived happily with her friends and family, getting the good grades she so desired… A life where she would have been safe, even if a tad bored, where she wouldn't have to worry about the darker aspects that lay within the minds of others, such as Naraku…

The wind blew around him, causing his red fire rat coat to fly out of is arms and blow across the field in a slow spiraling dance that Kagome would have laughed at… He could almost hear it now, a soft tinkling sound, at first, growing into belly deep laugher that would invite others to join… The thought brought a soft smile to his lips as he walked over and picked up the red coat.

He'd told the others he would be making the wish Kagome had wanted him to, when he returned from her funeral. They hadn't wanted to, probably for the same reasons as he did, but they had accepted his words without complaint… Probably because of the same reason he did… It was what Kagome had wanted…

It was time to give Kagome the happily ever after she so desired…

Even if she couldn't be there to join in it…

He turned to give another look at the bone eaters well, before returning to the village to gather the rest of his companions. They had already requested to see the wish be granted, something about needing closure, whatever that was supposed to mean… He hoped they wouldn't be to depressed after everything was over and he went his own way with Kikyou...

He just couldn't take being where his memories would haunt him by the ending of two women's lives… Not when he had been the reasons for their deaths, and not when he had loved them so fiercely, yet unable to tell one of them to the exact extent until she was dying in his arms…

He frowned and studied the ground as he walked, not even sure if Kagome had heard a word he'd said to her, yet he prayed she had… Because if not, then she would have left, unknowing that he'd pledged his soul to her, even if his heart must belong to another…

God… He wanted her back so much it hurt… How could he have allowed her to die… Especially in such a fashion… Her mother and grandfather had to tell her friends that a surgery mishap had caused her death… A surgery mishap… How… How disgustingly dishonorable could you get? Why couldn't the actual story be told? …

Because it wouldn't be believed or understood by the listeners… That's why…

He cursed himself in his inability to protect the woman he'd loved more then even he fully understood… Cursed his weakness that prevented him from seeing it before… Cursing the time he could have spent with her in her loving embrace, rather then the fighting and disrespect he'd put her threw… He hadn't deserved her love…

He suddenly stopped, a few miles from the village, and fell to his knees, his arms hanging by his sides limply… To sad to even shed a tear, to lonely to even voice…

He should have been the one to die!

He suddenly glared up into the sky, one of his arms punching the air, as though trying to attack the gods themselves, "BASTARDS!!!" He screamed, seething with the fate he'd been given in losing one love, to gain another, and only having it torn from him as well…

He wanted Kagome back! He needed her comforting smile. He needed her…

He wanted to kill something, dismissing it as the thought came to his mind because he knew that Kagome would not like it… Ranting came next, but he didn't feel as though he had the capability of speech except for hollowed, short answers that never voiced what he thought…

Slowly, he pushed himself off the ground, staring at the village he would have to enter with disdain… He didn't know why, but it represented everything to him about himself now… It's weakness, it's tired villagers… Even it's own miko's represented love to him…

He took a step closer, continuing to keep his eyes on the bustling town, growing stronger with every day as they marched into the future, worrying over their future even as they lived the day with thanks… Another step followed and he suddenly felt strength returning to him as he continued to survey the people he crossed in the rice fields… He remembered a time when he'd hurt them so very horribly…

Yet, after their shock and fear, Kagome had brought them understanding… They no longer looked at him with disgust in their eyes… Now, though tinged with sorrow and sympathy, they glinted with pride at knowing him… Pride that he came to their village after ever fight, every battle.

They'd lost much, but they stood strong behind him. They smiled as he passed; some even touching his arm in silent support of his loss, feeling almost the same amount of pain. Offering strength for what he must do in order to remove the danger of the jewel as well as joy that they would have Kikyou returned to them after such a long period…

Kikyou would return to him, and they would once again love each other… Even with their own cowering past shadowing them… He loved her such, already…

But his soul ached for Kagome, and it hurt that she wasn't with him now, walking by his side, even in anger at having to return so quickly, she would still look at him with those beautiful eyes…

He paused as a sudden wind blew behind him, pushing him forward the last remaining steps; and he suddenly felt her… Smelled the wild jasmine sent that was imprinted upon his memory forever, as Kagome…

Spinning around his heart leached as a golden mist wavered in his sight, a soft shimmering outline of Kagome standing in the center. A broad smile blessed her face as she came closer and stood on tiptoe to press her translucent lips upon his cheek, resting her hand on his chest he heard her voice inside his mind, leaving a loving caress in it's place…

'It's time, Inu-yasha… Release me and revive Kikyou so that all may be as they are supposed to be…'

Shippou sat in front of Kiade's hut awaiting Inu-yasha's arrival with a mixture of feelings… He dreaded seeing Inu-yasha make the wish they all knew he must… Yet he couldn't contain a sense of hope that everything would turn out to be okay… His youth was tainted with the sights of death and destruction, and he clung to that hope… Kagome had taught him to hope in the darkest of hour, and the lesson's she'd given him would last forever…

When Inu-yasha came into view he jumped up and ran to him, disliking the fact that he had to leave, yet grateful that one of them was able to go. It had been hours since he'd last seen the man who helped keep the young kit survive after the death of his first mother; now helping him threw his second seemed natural…

Once he spotted his face, however, confusion grew as well as anger…

He was smiling…

Glaring at the older man the boy seethed, "What are you so happy about?!" he snapped, wanting the smile to fall from it's place… He was supposed to be sad! No, worse! He was supposed to be devastated… Just like he felt himself.

Instead, Inu-yasha merely knelt down and grabbed Shippou up by the tail, smirking at him in a way that he would after a particularly strenuous battle ended with victory. It almost shocked him when the hanyou shook him around by the tail, the smirk still in place.

"Keh… Kagome wouldn't want tears." He arched one of his brows arrogantly, "Don't you know that she's watching us, now?" he informed Shippou, tossing him aside carelessly as he stepped into the hut, "So cut it out with the crying!"

Shippou landed on his rump with wide eyes as he stared after Inu-yasha's retreating back, his lips mouthing soundlessly in shock… Something had changed Inu-yasha back into his normal self… Ego and all…

Shippou suddenly got it… Kagome… Inu-yasha had somehow made contact Kagome! Nothing short of that would have ever put that hanyou back into his own state of mind!

A sudden smile burst forth from his face as he eagerly looked around for his mother and friend, hoping for a glimpse of her as well…

He spotted it… Outside of town… A golden mist with her standing in its center, waving brightly to him as though telling him she'd be back later; promising goodies from her era when she returned… Reassuring him that everything was going to be all right…

He waved back, jumping energetically so that she would see him, then yelled, "I love you, Mommy!"

… He received a blown kiss in answer, before the mist blew away, leaving nothing but the memory in its place…

His mother was still with him, he realized, just where she always would remain… Tucked at his side with love in her eyes and joy in her step as she watches her son become the man she knew he would be…

"… I love you, Mommy…" he repeated quietly, lifting his hand to catch the blown kiss, then pressing his closed fist to his chest.

Authors Note: I'm very sorry for the length, but… It was SUCH a good ending for the chapter… I nearly cried while writing it! I hope it leaves tears in your eyes as it did mine! Now that this chapter is finished I'll be working on chapter three. So I should be at least two chapters ahead (therefore, my updates shouldn't be late for any reason for the next two weeks). I'm ready for revision's however, so if you spot a mistake/misspelling/typo or just have a suggestion for the story as it progress, feel free to shout them at me and I'll bang them around in my head. .

Also, in celebration of my birthday and the New Year 2007, I've decided to submit this chapter almost a full week ahead of schedule! Now I'm off to have a root canal done… Again… On the same cruddy tooth… For the second time…

… Somebody shoot me. -.- …

Response to Reviewers

SesshysRedAngel: Thanks for the review, I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter! . Just so you know (I forgot to say this in my A/N) I update every Thursday from here on in. Please keep reading, and if you have any suggestions in the future feel free to voice them!

A touch of insanity: I'm glad that I managed to get the emotion that I was driving for! Thank you for your kind words and appreciation of my word in progress. Don't worry about me continuing, because I plan on seeing this story threw until the end (however long it takes). I would also like to thank you for your suggestion and telling me my mistake(s)! I'll get to work correcting that this moment, and work on finishing the second chapter! I hope to see you back again next Thursday, and don't forget, any other mistake(s) that any suggestions or corrections that you might wish to voice in the future will be gladly appreciated!

Silent Kunoichi aka Fiona: I'll add more on Thursday morning. I'd give more updates, but I don't want to end up rushing threw the next chapter simply to make my deadline… Hope to see you next week!


	3. Chapter 3

I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!!!! It'll never happen again (so long as, like this one, the chapters already written)!!! I COMPLETELY forgot!!! You see, my daughter has an ear infection! For all you kiddies out there, it might not mean much, but all the mothers KNOW! I'm sooo sorry! To make it up, I'll give you a little taste in another Sess/Kag fiction I'll be working on here in a little bit! It's called 'Watching You Dance'! I'M SORRY!

Authors Note: Wow, I finished a chapter one day, only to start another later that evening! . Hopefully it'll stay this way threw out the entire story! I haven't felt so creative in… Three years, I think… Anyhow, the last chapter was shorter then I originally intended, but I feel that it had a nice ending to it… Joyous, yet still with a sadness tinged to it… Hopefully you all felt the same way! If not, then I'd better get my butt back there and figure something out! XD

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-yasha… Yet I do own Sesshoumaru!!!

Sesshoumaru: No you don't.

Lasako: Oh! Sure!!! Spoil my fantasy, you careless bastard!!!

To Touch Heaven

Chapter Three: The Living Angel / Our Savior Returned

Three Years Later

Kagome sat away from the festivities, smiling to herself as Inu-yasha stood under a large tree, staring into Kikyou's loving eyes with a smile… It was worth death, just to see his happiness; though for a while there she wasn't sure if he'd be able to fully let go. It hadn't been until a year ago when he'd finally come to terms with the events of the past…

And that was only when Kikyou nearly left him…

… He always was a stubborn man when it came to his feelings… Now, however, it seemed as though he was expressing them better… She was glad to know that Kikyou was much nicer alive then she was dead… More caring and considerate then showed when she'd known her years ago… She even had a rather lovely smile, showing more of it the past year then the previous two… Probably because Inu-yasha had come to the realization that Kagome wouldn't be 'visiting' him anymore…

He had been devastated, at first, nearly causing her to second guess her actions three years ago, when she'd gathered all the energy she could to put her thoughts into words, then transfer them into his mind… Nevertheless, she knew he was happy, now…

With their friends surrounding him and his lover as they exchanged their vows under the great tree that had united them all in the first place… It seemed fitting, to her, that he should do that… It almost felt as though he were paying tribute to their lives; which he had probably intended when he picked it… Still, she wished he wouldn't have worn red to his own wedding…

Shaking her head in amusement she watched Kikyou give the red finery a look as well, as though sharing Kagome's thoughts and agreeing with her on that subject. Still, she gazed back into Inu-yasha's eyes with warmth, love, and joy as he leaned in to seal their vows with a soft kiss…

Kagome sighed… It was all very romantic…

"Kagome."

Kagome jumped slightly at the deep baritone voice that stated her name rather bluntly, as though chiding her for being naughty.

Looking up she spotted an older man who looked approximately twenty-seven, his deep blue eyes laughing at her as his tousled midnight black hair blew in a mystic wind that always seemed to surround him when they were on Earth… She suspected that he just liked the effect, since there wasn't anything really mystical about it.

She returned her eyes to the wedding, laughing softly when Kikyou eyed Inu-yasha and Miroku, holding Shippou's hand within hers, while she spoke with Sango, who held a beautiful baby boy on her hip… She'd obviously missed something the men were planning, because Sango was also sending a glare their way… The men had the grace to cower away in fear of their powerful wives.

"Hi, Daddy." She said, stretching slightly in a bored fashion. She was beginning to get tired of sitting, and hoped that Sango would release Saiya so that she could go watch the boy play… She didn't mind watching over the two families' as they conversed like this, but she so much more enjoyed the boy's wild antics that so reminded her of Shippou's when he was younger.

The kit still loved her, she knew… It caused her smile to brighten as she remembered his beautiful flowers he continued to leave on the bone eaters well… He left at least one every day, constantly running back and forth with a happy shout of 'Hi Momma!'… Kikyou had even allowed him to bring a vase, once, which was very nice of her considering their past.

Her father sat beside her, looking down at her clothes with a laugh, "… The uniform… Again?" he asked, rising both of his brows… Kagome rolled her eyes, knowing what her mother had meant when she'd claimed her father had 'charisma'.

"There's nothing wrong with my uniform." She stated, looking at him and sticking out her tongue… They played this game often, and he usually ended up winning, making her transform her clothes back into the billowy white dress she usually wore… Not that she minded it; she loved how feminine it made her feel, however she preferred wearing her uniform in the fudal era for old times sake.

Her father rose a hand up and brushed the hair back from her face, much like he used to do when she was five, swinging on the porch swing without looking at him… Sort of like a 'peek-a-boo' game, without the peek-a-boo part. They'd gotten closer over the past three years, talking about this and that while they watched over their loved ones…

She'd even managed to watch Souta gain his driver's license… Which was actually lucky for him, considering that he'd accidentally left the left blinker on the entire time… Thankfully, they allowed him to re-take his test the same day. Her father had said he'd done much the same thing when he'd taken his test… Though they didn't really mind 'back in his day'…

"They seem happy." He said, slipping dark raven hair behind her ear, before he leaned back, lounging against the air behind him as he put his hands behind his head.

Kagome grinned over at him, "It's their wedding today." She answered his unspoken question, laughing softly when the air gave from under him, sending him flat on his back against the grassy hill, "I told you they were going to get married!"

Her father frowned, "Yeah… But that was two years ago." He mumbled, sitting up once again and brushing off the back of his white dress shirt.

Kagome rolled her eyes, "Try two days ago, daddy." She shot at him, giving him a playful glare as she gave him a shove, "Honestly… You only died seventeen years ago, you know, you shouldn't have lost all sense of time so soon."

Her father shrugged and went back into his lounging position of before, stretching out his limbs before him, "It's harder to keep time straight when your daughter's bouncing around in two different eras." He defended himself lazily, plucking a blade of grass and sticking it between his teeth to chew on.

Kagome shrugged, but didn't answer… Sango had finally released Saiya and he was now hiding underneath one of the long reception tables holding food and drinks. She laughed when she seen his head poke up from behind a large bowl, scaring Kaede to within an inch of her life… Sango and Miroku's child was full of zest for life.

She stood up, walking towards the laughing crowd, "I am going to watch Saiya for a little while." She tossed behind her shoulder as she went down the slight hill that sat had occupied. He got up and walked next to her for a minute.

"Actually, before you do anything I should probably tell you that you've gotten your first assignment." He stated, walking beside her as she made her way into the crowd of people.

She paused in her steps, then turned to look at him, "Really?" she asked, her eyes wide in surprise… She'd never been given an assignment before. The angels usually allowed her to roam about as she pleased, leaving only her father to check up on her every so often.

He nodded, running a hand threw his dark hair as he smiled at her, "It seems that someone is in need of your help…"

Kagome nodded eagerly, stepping closer to her father as her hands came up to clasp in front of her chest, "Who is it?" she asked… If she passed her assignment she would become an angel herself, and be able to not only watch, but also protect and give blessings, to her family and friends for as long as needed.

Her father cleared his throat, "Someone from this era, actually…"

Kagome waited for her father to continue… She hoped that she would have a child put into her care… They were so much fun to watch run around and play, rather then the adults, who seemed to only work, complain, or working on complaining…

She quickly berated herself for being so closed minded… Not all adults were like that; and the ones who were, were the one's who needed her help most…

"I believe his name is Sesshoumaru…" he paused for a moment, "And you're going to have to be alive." Her father breathed out, looking into her face as he waited for her reaction to his statement…

Kagome promptly fainted, the last thing she heard was her father saying out loud in a wondrous tone, "I didn't know people could faint after their deaths…"

Kagome awoke inside the bone eaters well, rubbing her eyes as she sat up slowly… Why was she sitting inside the bone eaters well? … She hadn't been in it since she'd died; never needing it to hop between the two era's any longer.

Shrugging she tried to phase herself out, closing her eyes and concentrating on her destination… When she reopened them she fully expected to see Inu-yasha's Forrest in front of her… Instead she could only see the rough surface of the walls…

'Strange…' She thought to herself, '… Daddy must be having one of his jokes… Again.' She frowned as she began climbing out… He continued to do this to her, knowing it got on her nerves… Said 'it would keep her human'… She was so going to yell at him when she saw him next…

She pulled herself over the lip of the well and rested there for a few moments, oddly tired from the climb. She stretched out her arms, feeling the satin and silk of the gown glide against her skin as the long lace sleeves brought the already thigh length skirt up another couple of inches.

She lowered her arms and looked around… It was a beautiful day, bright with poofy clouds, enchantingly soft, playful wind, and the sound of wildlife beckoning each other to join in their sweet song of spring… The only thing that marred this, however, was a painful cramp in her lower abdomen… Which felt oddly familiar.

Which was actually strange… Because she hadn't felt pain in such a long time… Not since she was last alive, anyhow.

A little nagging presence in her head begged to be heard, but she shrugged it off for the moment, deciding to walk to the village and see what her friends were doing… Hopefully something fun! She was tired of watching Sango wash clothes, or Miroku do his daily prayers… Even Inu-yasha was getting old with his constant training… Though that would probably end soon, as Kikyou would want to have a family.

They would make beautiful babies…

She came upon the rice field and smiled to herself… She was getting closer now, she could even hear the sounds of the village life as they worked and played. Looking around the rice fields she watched the women bend to harvest them for a moment, before she continued on… They were always so busy! She'd hate having to pick rice all day…

As she came upon the village she noticed that the people around her had stopped talking among themselves, causing an eerie silence to envelop the area… She frowned and paused in her walk, looking around for the cause of the fearful stares that were, oddly enough, directed behind her… Turning around she glanced over the area.

She couldn't find anything, however… Perhaps they were simply seeing things?

… That's right… They're seeing things…

All of them…

At the same time…

…

Right…

She simply shrugged and was about to turn back around and continue walking when she heard footsteps behind her. She looked over her shoulder, wondering what was going on, when Inu-yasha, Kikyou, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippou all came into view, dressed for battle…

She frowned again at their shocked faces…

Were they going to fight something? … She hadn't noticed anything dangerous near the village…

She looked around again, in case she might have missed some small clue… No… She shook her head again and looked up into the sky, perhaps her father would know… "Hey! Daddy?" she called, then waited for a moment… He would answer her in a second, she was sure… He always did.

"… Mama?"

Kagome blinked at the sound of Shippou's voice… Did he just call Kikyou mama? … He'd never done that before…

She continued looking up for some sign of her father when she felt herself being… Shoved?!

No…

No, she was being hugged!!!

Stupidly staring down at the eleven-year-old kit, snuggling into her arms like he'd done so many years ago… He was hugging her… Touching her…

She looked around at everyone once more, finally registering their shocked faces… They weren't staring behind her… They were staring AT her!

"Oh… My…"

She heard her name screamed as she fell backwards, fainting once more with the shock of it all… They had seen her! They touched her!

She suddenly heard her fathers voice in her mind, 'Kagome… It's time for your mission…'

The group sat around 'Kagome's' bedside… Staring at the woman in white as though she were a specter… She was dead… Yet… From what Kaede just told them… Her heart was beating a strong rhythm and her breathing was normal.

… Though how could it be normal if it wasn't supposed to be at all?

Inu-yasha sat close to her, breathing in her scent once again with disbelief written across his face. Kikyou held his hand firmly, giving her support as she knelt to stare into the other woman's face… So like her own… Yet so different… She turned her eyes to look once more at her beloved's avid face, not sure how he would react to having her other love returned back to him so suddenly.

Sango simply sat within Miroku's arms, shaking her head, still in shock over seeing her best friend and sister pop back into their lives… It was so strange seeing her again… Frightening… The last time they'd seen her there had been a gruesome, disgusting, horrible hole in her chest…

Now she lay before them, the swoop of her gown clearly allowing them all to view the unblemished ivory flesh where the killing blow had been dealt… It was impossible…

Her hand reached out to touch Kagome's chest, feeling around the area where the hole had been, then leapt back as she felt the steady pulse of her heart… There was no way it could have happened… It had to be some sort of twisted trick… Perhaps a demon had decided to gain their revenge in this disturbing image… Perhaps she was a demon…

Shippou, however, was ecstatic. He had taken up the spot beside his mother's head, looking into her face closely to see any sign to her waking up… The same position he'd taken over ten minutes ago, yet still going strong… He seemed to be willing her awake with his intent stare…

When her eyes suddenly fluttered open they all jumped back, watching her for signs of aggression… Instead she sat up, stretching her arms over her head, yawning as though simply awakening from a nice peaceful nap; rather then the clutches of death itself after three years of being buried.

It wasn't until she fully noticed her surroundings that she stiffened and jumped up, as though she were frightened of them…

Shippou flew at her, his arms latching once more around her waist as he snuggled his head into her abdomen. She looked confused as her hands wrapped around his neck, returning his embrace with one of her own.

"How is this possible?" she asked, lifting a hand to her face… It was so… Strange… To be actually seen by her loved ones was something she hadn't had the pleasure of since she'd died… Not that it had been bad, really…

Inu-yasha stood before her dumbly, her sent drifting over him in a way that he'd sorely missed… His Kagome had returned to him, whole, and more beautiful then ever… His hands itched to reach out and touch her face… He didn't care how or why she'd returned, he only knew that he'd missed her more then he'd ever felt he could.

"… Inu-yasha." She stated, tilting her head, then looking over to Kikyou.

He suddenly felt ashamed for his reaction, reaching out to hold Kikyou's warm hand within his own… He'd only been married for a week, and here he was… Having his feelings for Kagome come raging back into his body without a second thought for Kikyou… His loving and devoted life mate.

Kikyou's hand squeezed his, her eyes gazing into his face before she smiled; showing him that she understood how he felt and held no blame for him… She had never expected his love for Kagome to disappear, nor diminish, knowing this his heart stayed loyal to those brave enough to enter into it… She held no worry that he would leave her, just as she held no worry that Kagome would try and make him… Things were as they were supposed to be, just as Kagome had wanted.

Sango stood, walking closer to Kagome as her hand reached out of it's own accord, her fingers brushing the her friends long raven hair. Tears welled into her eyes as the strands wove threw her fingers, then became held tight by her fist as a racking cry tore from her throat. She found herself flying into Kagome's arms, crying loudly as Kagome unwound one of her arms from Shippou, welcoming her hug.

Miroku came next, wrapping his arms around his wife and lost friend… He didn't care how she'd been returned… The only thing that mattered was that she was with them right now, and even if she had to leave tomorrow, he wouldn't let it stand in his way of assuring Kagome that he still treasured their friendship… That… And the fact that if he looked over at just the right angle…

He didn't get to far when Kagome stealthily stomped on his foot, reassuring him that she did, indeed, remember his friendship very well… He couldn't hold back a laugh, even as one of his toes throbbed… "Just checking…"

Kagome laughed as they all suddenly swarmed her, glowing in their love and affection as she clung to them, hugging them to her as though she hadn't seen them in years. After a minute, she had to shift uncomfortably because they hadn't moved… Even Kikyou was hugging her, and the air had started getting warm. She could resist a grin of mischief as she reached over and pinched Sango's ass…

The reaction was instant.

Sango immediately released Kagome in favor of beating Miroku over the head with… Was that some of Kagome's hair?! As Miroku ran away from her, actually innocent of wrong doing, yet no one believing him. Inu-yasha was screaming at all of them for ruining Kagome's home coming, as Kikyou did her best to calm him down… The only one there, who remained clinging to her, was Shippou, and he didn't seem likely to move any time soon… She didn't mind this, however, deciding to watch the chaos that had happened with one little pinch.

During the family feud Kagome's memory kicked into gear, reminding her that she had come back on a mission, not to run around playing with her friends, as much as she wanted to (and personally believed she'd deserved)… She hoped that the elders would allow her some time after the mission to visit her friends…

When every thing had settled down, and she'd confessed to Sango that, this time, Miroku really was the innocent party (something everyone found quite hilarious), she informed them that she had been given back her life for her mission.

… "I have to leave for the Western lands." She finally voiced aloud when no other movement happened… Her mission must come first, and if the elders, as she preferred to call the angels, wanted her to go to Sesshoumaru, then she would go to him immediately… Who knew how much time she had to save him?

Inu-yasha bulked, "The Western lands?" he shook his head, his furry ears flattening slightly, crossing his arms over his chest as he planted his feet to the ground, "You're not going to the Western lands!"

Kagome planted her fists on her hips, her eyes flashing in anger as they had previously… Right before she would scream 'SIT' at the top of her lungs when the enchantment of the beaded necklace still held power… However, as she'd died, the enchantment had died with her, leaving the blue beads behind.

He narrowed his glance, "Sesshoumaru will kill you, if you go to the Western lands!" he snapped, shaking his head, "No. It's not happening."

Inu-yasha fingered the beads he wore in remembrance to Kagome, staring at him as she stared at them… There had been a time when she would have 'sat' him so much he'd have been crawling out of earth's core before she'd finished… Something that had pissed him off on so many different occasions he could only smirk at her now, as though to say, 'Haha, can't get me now!'

Kikyou suddenly pushed him, forward, sending Inu-yasha face down in the hut, shock written on his face as he turned to look at his wife, "Hey!" he shouted, barreling back up, "What was that for?!"

Kikyou tapped her foot on the barren floor, shaking her head, "You can't tell her what she can or can not do… If she needs to go then she needs to go, there's no changing the matter." She turned back to Kagome, "We'll be able to leave in a few hours, if you'll permit us to go with you."

Kagome restrained a laugh at Inu-yasha's expense, deciding that Kikyou, was indeed, better off alive then dead. To Kikyou, she nodded her head in agreement, "That would be greatly appreciated…" she paused and glanced around to her friends once more, a smile lighting upon her face once more, "This is shaping out to be a red letter day."

Sango suddenly stilled for a moment, considering what a 'red letter day' might be; before clearing her throat, "… Speaking of red, Kagome…" she paused and blushed, "The back of your dress is kind of…"

Kagome looked at her blankly for a moment, then thought back to when she'd gotten out of the well… No way he would do that to her!

Her hand felt around to the back of her dress, blushing fiercely when her fingers met the sticky, wet fabric…

Darn him, he did!

Her father had a pretty lame sense of humor… She made a mental note to tell him that when she next saw him… How was she supposed to have a joyful reunion with her friends with her period leaking onto her white dress?!

Out loud, however, she yelled into the heavens, "YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL I SEE MAMA, AGAIN!"

Authors Note: I'm going to end it there, as I can't think of anything more to add… I might go back and edit this, adding on and taking off certain aspects before I post it to make sure there's as little errors as possible so you won't have to deal with to many… Also: I'm going to begin working on chapter four Monday the first…

Oh, and because I'm so nice, I decided to post chapter two up early (I'll post it tomorrow on the 30th, my birthday)! . It'll be my little gift to you all for a happy New Years, as well as celebrate my birthday! Mawha… Twenty-two… And SHE thought I wouldn't make it past eighteen! Smirks Just goes to show you… Your parents are not always right!

Bob: I would just like to make a note, that Lasako's mother only thought she'd be dead by now because Lasako used to enjoy driving like an idiot.

Lasako: Shut-up, Bob! I got over that! Grins and nearly runs down a motorcyclist … SORRY!!! O.o; ……. Ten points if I hit him next time! . ….. I said nothing! Runs away


	4. Chapter 4

Authors Note: All right, now! We're at chapter four!!! . I'm so thrilled with this fiction, though admittedly, the last chapter didn't give the emotional performance that I'd wanted it to… But I had to get the story moving on… -.- Hopefully this chapter will make up for it, if not then send me some suggestions on how I could improve it, or the last chapter! … Any chapter, really. .;; Anyhow, the right side of my face is completely numb because I just got home from my root canal… -.- I'd rather have pain…

Disclaimer: I don't own the anime 'Inu-Yasha'… But I own Sesshoumaru in my own mind!!! . … Oh the laundry I make him do! Oh… The dishes he could wash for me… The large house he could build in a few simple hours… Sighs … Oh, and he's hot too. . Perhaps I could trade my family in for him…

NOTICE: I have a social life!!! YAY!!! Don't worry, though, a chapter a week won't be that difficult of a chore to do. .

To Touch Heaven

Chapter Four: Setting Out

Kagome stood inside Kaede's hut, looking threw the different herbs and treatments she'd come up with during her absence, Shippou at her side talking non-stop, as he named them all… Apparently he had interest in the healing herbs… Well he would be happy to learn that she had been studying new ways to distribute the herbs into mixtures, though she would let him have his fun explaining them all to her now.

Inu-yasha and Kikyou were at their hut that sat a little ways from town because of Inu-yasha's desire for space, and Kikyou's desire for peace and calm. Kagome hadn't realized that she'd been 'gone' for a little while, neither here, nor in death… Perhaps it's because her father had chosen to revive her from within the depths of the well, though she wouldn't know for sure until he visited her or she returned to death.

She could hear Sango outside, talking happily with Miroku as they entertained Saiya, the boy giggling and laughing at his parents. They had returned only mere hours after they'd first left to get ready, bring Saiya along to spend the night at Kaede's so that Kagome could get to know her newly dubbed 'godson'… Kagome, though a little annoyed at having her personal time taken from her own son, loved playing with the boy.

He would be staying at Kaede's hut while his parents traveled with her to the Western lands, keeping him from the potential danger of both travel and arrival. Kagome didn't blame them for their concern, as Sesshoumaru hadn't exactly made himself known for his kindness…

Especially when it came to their group, and Kagome was having second thoughts of allowing Shippou to join them on the journey…

Though as she watched him basking in her attention, she knew she wouldn't be able to deny him… After all, he had battled as many, if not more, demons then she had; even joining in the defeat against Naraku… She would just take extra precaution in his safety; which was mostly the reason of her examination of Kaede's herb supplies… She might be able to concoct a temporary shield that she could throw at Shippou, preventing Sesshoumaru from attacking him… Unfortunately, her father hadn't had the time to teach her how to make the shield mobile, so it would also keep Shippou within harms way.

She doubted her father would allow anyone to be seriously harmed while she attempted to speak to Sesshoumaru, however, she didn't think he'd be all that concerned over a couple of broken bones…

Shippou was holding out a long red vine, describing it's healing potency as Kagome nodded, thrilled that he not only showed interest, but was very adapt at learning how to put the herbs together. Perhaps she could teach him some of what she'd learned after she'd died… Then again, she doubted they would find a 'heaven carnation' blossom on Earth, let alone angelic purified water… Unless she still retained her power to purify demonic water… Then it would only be a case of finding the demonic water to purify.

She sighed, and smiled at Shippou, exclaiming praise over his advanced skill and ingenuity. He was remarkable at his age… Most trained healers knew less then her son as he proudly displayed some remedies he'd created… Most of them having something to do with healing.

Picking up a small red jar, he handed it to her, "I call it Demons Kiss." He told her as she inspected the brown powered contents of the jar. When she looked at him in question he grinned, "It's because it's made with demon saliva… Sounds better then Demon Spit."

Kagome laughed, rather amazed at this… Her father had only recently taught it to her, and she was proud to know that her son had created it… The powder was very strong, having the ability to turn a killing blow into nothing more then a rather large cut, bruises, and plenty of bed rest… Side effects and remedy length depended on how the powder was taken…

If mixed with plenty of water and drank, it gave the patient a highly drugged feeling, often causing them to laugh spontaneously.

If mixed with little water, creating a paste, and rubbed directly into the wound, it would completely heal the patient, leaving no scar and less recovery time… However, it also gave the patient a feeling of invincibility, often causing danger to themselves and others… Using the paste was only recommended when there is numerous cuts deep enough to scar, as it's so dangerous. It was also highly recommended to watch the patient for further signs of 'temporary demonic possession'… Which, basically meant, showing signs of aggressive behavior.

She was finger a few small jars of Demons Kiss when the door to the hut was pulled back, revealing Kikyou and Sango. They both grinned at her as they walked in, carrying their things with them… Kagome almost laughed when she spotted Kikyou's huge brown leather bag, glad that her father hadn't given hers back.

Sango, however, beat her to it, "We could always die it yellow." She suggested, giving Kagome a wink as Kikyou glared at her, then looked to Kagome, "I used to wonder why you traveled with that hideous bag… Now I know…" she paused, shaking her head, "If Inu-yasha says we need to bring one more thing, I'm going to throw something at him."

It came out sounding like a joke, however Kagome could see that Kikyou plainly wasn't joking, and would indeed attempt to hurt Inu-yasha with the suggested item… Kagome didn't blame her, as she used to be in her place and would have loved to have flung every item in her bag at him.

"What do you have in there?" she asked, curious; though once Kikyou narrowed her eyes she stepped back, allowing the other miko to reach into her bag, pulling out a rectangular object and showing the front side to her.

Kagome fell onto the table behind her, laughing loudly, "Are you serious?" she asked, knowing her mother had probably done it…

Kikyou was carrying a large bag full of ramen…

Inu-yasha must be in haven!

Kikyou fumed, "He just brought them over to me an hour ago! Three little flimsy bags of them!" she glared at her for a moment, "He disappeared down the well, then came back ten minutes later all of them! I'm used to him running after one or two occasionally…" she trailed off, her anger dimming as she shook her head in wonder.

Kagome nodded, she knew that Inu-yasha must have told her mother that she was alive once more… Either that, or her father had gathered his energy to visit, because to be honest, it would have taken longer then ten minutes for her mother to go shopping, even with Inu-yasha there to speed her threw it… She would ask him more on the subject later, for now she just decided to laugh.

Sango just grinned in amusement, shouldering her large boomerang. She'd donned her demon exterminator apparel, standing proudly in the center of the hut with a large smile. Kagome couldn't help but remember when she'd first met her… Sure, it wasn't the greatest of moments, as they were all fighting at the time; but it was certainly one that had earned it's right to be carried on within her mind.

She wondered, suddenly, what had happened to Sango's younger brother… She knew that he hadn't made it, yet she'd only just realized that he hadn't crossed over as she had… She paused in her actions, her face paling as she thought of the poor youth burning…

"Kagome?" Sango asked, a frown of worry on her brow, "Kagome, are you all right?" she placed her hand on Kagome's shoulder, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Kagome kept the grief from her face, there was no use thinking about it now, as he had died before her, it was possible that she hadn't seen him because he'd already left, going about on his own… Should Sango ever ask her, then she would soothe her fears… However, she felt uncomfortable thinking of Sango asking her about her younger brother…

She placed a bright smile on her face as Shippou came up to her side, looking up at her with worried eyes, "Mama?" he asked, placing his hands within her own.

"Don't worry about me, guys… It's just an after effect of coming back to life is all." She answered, waving her free hand in front of her face, as though to wave away her unsettling thoughts, "It will go away with time."

Sango and Shippou nodded, then went about to what they were doing previously, leaving Kikyou at her side as she lowered her gaze back into the Demons Kiss remedy… After a few moments, she felt Kikyou's eyes on her, and looked up, meeting the honeyed brown eyes with her clear blues… Kikyou understood some of what she was going threw, and she read the sympathy that glowed in her incarnations…

Sighing she shook her head once more, looking at her friend as she knelt on the floor, polishing her weapons to a bright shine… She hoped, for her friend's sake as well as her brothers that he had been sent up to heaven, instead of… the opposite…

Clearing her throat she picked up a few jars, then paused for a moment, "I'm going to need a bag of some sort…" she muttered to herself, wondering how she was to get one without going to the future. When Kikyou pulled a smaller bag, much resembling a fringed leather purse, and handed it to her, she smiled. "Thanks, Kikyou." She bowed her head, accepting the bag and placing the Demons Kiss remedies into it.

Kikyou waved it off, standing next to her as she looked over the herbs, "I've got plenty of all these already." She informed Kagome, "Though it wouldn't hurt to bring along some more of Shippou's remedies and tonics." She paused and looked at Kagome once more, "He is really quite acceptable at making them."

Kagome grinned proudly, "Yes, you and Kaede have taught him very well." She bowed her head again, "Thank you."

Kikyou shook her head, "I've taught him nothing that you hadn't already." She stated, waving off Kagome's thanks, "The boy learned much from your journey for the shards, simply by watching you and listening to you explain your future remedies and tonics."

Kagome nodded her head, looking at the other different bottles of medicines Shippou had created… Including a rough version of the anti-toxin for common snake bites… Though they would need none of those… Instead, she sorted threw a few more of the tonics he'd explained to her, placing them into her new bag.

Miroku and Inu-yasha came in, each watching her dreamily as though afraid that she would disappear should they blink or move to quickly… It was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable; and the fact that Inu-yasha kept looking into her more… Robust areas… Assured her that his thoughts were not all together on the innocent side…

… Probably because of Miroku…

When she suddenly felt Miroku's hand glide over her bottom she was sure she'd hit the mark. She had only managed to turn enough to see Sango emerge from behind Miroku and begin pelting him over the head with her over sized boomerang, screaming at him about cheating husbands and dishonoring their best friend... Or was it bastard fathers and torturing innocents? ... She was yelling so fast that it was honestly difficult to follow.

Obviously Miroku hadn't changed much, though at least now he had the grace to beg forgiveness by throwing himself on the floor and crawling away whimpering, 'Sorry, my love'… Kagome doubted the lecher would ever veer from his rouge personality… And she doubted Sango being happy if he had… It was strangely both sickening and charming at the same time.

Shaking her head as she hid her smile, giving the couple enough room to fight out their problems their usual way while exchanging amused glances towards Kikyou and Inu-yasha… They really did make a nice couple, especially since Kikyou no longer held the look of hatred within her now warm blue gaze… It was amazing to see the woman Inu-yasha had so long ago given his heart to.

She found no regret within her as she laughed with the pair, feeling as though everything had gone according to some plan laid before their time… It all just seemed to suddenly click together once she'd returned… Miroku's perverted personality, Sango's dominant behavior, Inu-yasha's cocky attitude, and Kikyou's soothing aura all meshed in perfectly together… One softening the other until it was all just a mellow haze of colors weaving the each to the other.

Only Shippou seemed to be out of place, as though he were just waiting for her to return and refused to acknowledge the fact that he might never have seen her again… She walked over to him and knelt, surprised to see that she no longer reached his eye level when she done this, and smiled, hugging him to her… He had suffered greatly with her death, though only showed signs of it when he sat, thinking himself alone, sobbing quietly while she watched silently from his side.

The thought gave her pause when she considered her quest; allowing a terrible horror to seep within her heart as she thought of the time when she would have to leave once again… Though she knew she would find a way to bring him peace with the knowledge that she would soon have to once again go beyond his physical reach…

Then again, who knew what the elders had in mind for her? Perhaps they would allow her to live on Earth with her adopted son for a while longer… From what her father had told her when they spoke of such things; they were kind and compassionate… Maybe they would allow her to continue her life on Earth until she was able to raise Shippou into an adult…

Shippou squeezed her back, returning the hug she was giving him as well as returning her to the present… Apparently, the others were ready to go, and were simply watching the affection with a soft joy that flowed threw her for her little boy… She smiled at him as she released her hold, standing up to turn around to the other adults while she took his hand in her own.

"Is everyone ready to leave?" She asked, receiving five muted nods of confirmation she smiled, "Excellent, I've been yearning to travel with you all again."

Authors Notes: … Gah! I'm so displeased with this chapter! It's because I've got a sick baby, a house-guest/lover currently staying with me, a pair of brothers bugging the hell out of me whenever they get the chance, and the lack of sleep that I've somehow managed to live threw!

. Though my lover (I call him this, because I have no idea where we're at), will be gone in the next few days… I'll be able to sort threw all of these crazy and confusing thoughts and feelings while gathering my emotions and raining them in! Ugh… I knew I'd stayed celibate for a reason (I made it to two years and nine months)! … Though I can't say that I don't enjoy having him around… . I've had a crush on this man since I was… Hmm… Fifteen. That would be for the last eight years, to the ones who don't know I'm now twenty-two. . … Crazy-ness.

I decided to keep Miroku a pervert because… Well… Anything else just wouldn't be Miroku! Everything points to him being a lecher clear until the end of his life. I refuse to change it… Period. I don't care who protests to that, anything else just wouldn't honor his character. . Though any other suggestions would be happily taken into consideration!

PLEASE NOTE: That the only reason why I continuously make the 'that' mistake, is because sometimes it shows up as a mistake even when I do have it! So if I continuing making these mistakes, I can happily say 'It's Bob's fault!' and mean it. Mawha!

CURRENTLY SUFFERING FROM

- Lack of sleep -Infant Ear Infection

- Love Life - Bothersome Brothers

Just so you know… I'm sobbing on the inside. -.-#


	5. Chapter 5

Authors Notes: All right, I freely admit that the last chapter wasn't up to par with the previous three… This is because I'm suffering from three major events in my life… The first one is my daughter… She has an ear infection which is preventing her from getting a decent nights sleep… The second is that, because of her ear infection I am getting no sleep either. The last is a happier note that will not last long (thank god); and that is: my lovers staying over for a few days. .; Sorry, everyone!

ALSO: Please note that I'm spending some of my free time on Gaia. It's this pretty little place where you get to post to each other on forums, buy stuff for your avatar, role play, and other little nifty things. My character name there is the same as it is here (because I joined in 2003, I managed to get my name before any posers did… HAHA LOSERS!)… So keep an eye open for me… look for me… whatever, as 'Lasako'. . Also: I'm earning money for a 'Dark Halo' and a demonic guitar, so if you have money for donations (or willing to donate the items)… . Yeah… Send 'em my way! . ((Look below for notes on 'Watching You Dance', if you're interested.))

Disclaimer: In 'Lasako Land' I own everything! Including the hit anime 'Inu-Yahsa' and all it's characters! … However… In reality… I own nothing. -.-

To Touch Heaven

Chapter Five: The Western Lands / To Earn His Trust (Second Attempted at Upload)

Kagome hummed softly to herself as she walked beside Shippou, a short pace away from the others. Over the past three days there had been nothing to worry about. There was no helpless villager begging the group for assistance from vicious demons, no burning village with the stench of evil still clinging to it, not even a wild animal seemed to be causing any trouble…

The fudal era was, for lack of a better word, rather tame… She almost missed the feeling of being needed, though she was pleased to see everyone happier then they had been in years. Strangely, however, there seemed to be more human villages within the western lands; something that had Inu-yasha commenting on almost every five minutes.

"Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll be dead." Inu-yasha said hopefully, turning his head back to include the rest of the group with a smug grin on his face, "Killed off by a bunch of humans."

Kagome glared at him, "For the final time, Inu-yasha, he's not dead. The elders would not send me on a mission of assistance, if the one I'm supposed to assist is dead." She rolled her eyes as she said this, tired of the conversation… Who cared if Sesshoumaru allowed humans onto his land or not? The important thing was that he hadn't killed them off.

Sango shrugged, "I can't help but hope that Inu-yasha's right in this, Kagome." She admitted, "Sesshoumaru wasn't exactly the friendliest of demons." Shaking her head she looked back at Kagome as well, "Perhaps you weren't meant to hel-"

Kagome cut her off with a glare, "There was no mistaking whom I was supposed to help, Sango." She denied, "If I'm supposed to help Sesshoumaru, then I'm sure he's not dead, catatonic, or in a coma."

Kikyou frowned, "What is catatonic?"

"It's a state of being alive, yet unable to live." Kagome defined loosely, shrugging her shoulders, "It's like the person is no longer there. They have no thoughts or emotions and can no longer act of their own free will."

"So it's as though they are dead?" Kikyou asked, her frown deepening, "Then why not just kill them to end their suffering?"

Kagome shrugged again, "There's conflict going on about that still, I think." She breathed in deeply looking around the forest as the sun peeked threw the leaves overhead, causing little dots of light to litter the forest floor. "A debate on if it's right to take a life if there's still a chance that the person might make it, or if it's better to accept that they won't, and painlessly remove the equipment keeping them alive."

Miroku shook his head, "A difficult decision to make, to be sure." He put in, "Though one that should be made as quickly as possible for those who are unable to choose."

Kagome nodded, "They now have things called 'living wills' that describe on what to do should the event of their inability to choose." She put in, "Though almost no one has these, because no one really takes the time to learn anything about it."

Inu-yasha made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat, "Idiots… I suppose they don't think that it would ever happen to them, eh?"

"They're not idiots, they're just uneducated." Shippou put in, "Haven't you been listening to Kagome? They don't know anything about it."

"Only because they don't want to." Inu-yasha snapped back, lifting his nose into the air arrogantly, "If they wanted to, they could do it… They're just to lazy to do so."

Shippou opened his mouth to retort, though shut it once more when he realized that what Inu-yasha said was correct… Something that he still had little experience with. Instead he looked up to Kagome and tugged on her hand, "Do you have one?"

Kagome shook her head, "I didn't have the time to get one when I was alive… I doubt it would be a simple thing to do now that I'm back, as I've been declared dead and buried for a few years now." She grinned at him, giving him a wink, "It's really nothing to worry about, Shippou."

"We're almost there." Inu-yasha snapped suddenly, growing tense, "Either that, or Sesshoumaru smelled us coming and decided to meet us half way." He said this doubtfully, pulling out his sword and taking up a fighting stance, "Kagome, Kikyou, get behind us-"

The two women immediately began yelling at him at the same time, a string of defensive remarks braiding into each other so that only a few words could be understood; making it quite apparent that neither of the miko's desired to remain 'defenseless'. Inu-yasha began yelling back about the 'useless' women in his life, only to be out shouted by the miko's as Kikyou began poking him in his chest while Kagome's finger jabbed at his forehead.

Sango rolled her eyes as Miroku calmly studied the threesome in amusement, wondering which of the women would make the hanyou crack first. Shippou quickly got into the argument, leaping onto Inu-yasha with a fierce battle cry… Well… More like an insulted cry of childish anger, but either way, it worked out well when he began pounding on Inu-yasha's head for insulting his mother.

It wasn't until Shippou had managed to not only plant his fist into Inu-yasha's head a good four or five times, then successfully managed to bite and hold onto Inu-yasha's left ear, when they first seen Sesshoumaru apprising them in silence. His bronze eyes coldly studied their pitiful appearance, one aristocratic eyebrow gracefully arching into a look of disgust.

Kagome's finger paused mid-thrust as her eyes slowly turned into his direction, feeling the cold knives of his stare dart into her side as easily as though he were pelting her with actual knives. He stood regally among the foliage, his silver hair blowing slightly from the wind as his chilling gaze continued their hateful assessment.

His arm rested lightly on the hilt of his deadly blade, ready to unsheathe the sword and end their pathetic lives should he so choose. His white armor sang of both death and beauty… Much like his neutral face, impassive and beautiful as she'd last remembered him. It was easy to imagine him cutting their heads off, then leaving their bodies to the wolves that roamed the forest.

Though he didn't move to strike, everyone held themselves alert, suddenly ready to battle for their lives… Though Kagome knew that, should he so choose, they would no leave there the victors… If they even left…

Shippou had positioned himself in front of his mother, not willing to have her taken from him again, as Inu-yasha leapt away from the group to guard his friends. Kikyou had somehow managed to drop her large bag and string her arrow before Kagome could think, while Sango readied herself for an attack. Miroku quickly took up position next to his wife, brandishing his staff towards Sesshoumaru.

Kagome frowned, wondering what her friends were thinking as they took aggressive stance towards the man she was supposed to somehow gain trust and help… It was easy to imagine how the group looked from the demon lords perspective, though she could understand where her friends could be worried, as the ever calm lord simply continued his observation.

She placed a bright smile onto her face as she cleared her throat, not knowing what she was going to say to naturalize the situation. Everyone had tensed up at the sight of Sesshoumaru, somehow forgetting to remember that he had been standing in the same spot, unnoticed, with the full ability to attack.

Taking a deep breath for courage she stepped away from the group and bowed to Sesshoumaru, feeling his cold gaze transfer to her as she did so. She continued to hold her bow as she spoke up to him, "Lord Sesshoumaru, I-" she began, only to have him cut her off.

His voice was low and so cold it froze the blood in her veins, "You are dead." He stated, his hand continuing to rest on the hilt of his sword, "Why have you returned to bother this Sesshoumaru?"

Blunt and to the point, as ever, when dealing with others, Sesshoumaru had provided her the opening she needed to explain her situation to him. "I was told by the elder angels that I must help you." She answered him, her bow beginning to hurt her back. Her hair was beginning to annoy her as well, some of the black strands tickling her nose and cheeks.

Sesshoumaru frowned at her, showing a rare form of annoyance, "This Sesshoumaru, needs no help from humans." He informed her, turning away, "You will remove yourselves from my land." He ordered behind his back as he walked into the depth of the forest.

Kagome stood after he left, frowning to herself as the difficulty of the mission finally made itself clear to her… How could she have forgotten Sesshoumaru's loathing of humans? How was she supposed to help him if he refused her?

Sighing she shook her head, knowing that she would simply have to continue trying… The worse he could do was kill her, as she somehow knew he wouldn't take the time to torture a lowly 'human' as herself… Though the thought did annoy her, she knew that persistence was her best weapon for now… And in the battle to help the frustrating demon lord, she would need as many as she could get.

With another sigh she set off in the direction he'd left, Shippou running to her side and clinging to her hand, telling her that he was continue on with her. The others, however, held back, causing Kagome to pause and turn back to them. Sango and Miroku weren't looking at her as they put away their weapons, and Inu-yasha and Kikyou were staring at her as though she'd lost her mind.

"You can't go after him!" Inu-yasha shouted suddenly, "Have you lost your fucking mind?! He'll kill you before you can blink!" he shook his head, "Do you have a death wish?! Was it so nice the first time that you want to try it again?!"

Kikyou agreed with him, however with less venom in her voice and more sympathy within her gaze, "Inu-yasha is right, Kagome" she gazed into the trees after the demon lord, "He will not accept your help, however many times you try."

"But I have to try." Kagome answered, her chin raising a few notches, "I was giving a mission by the elders, and no matter how difficult or impossible it may seem, it will be accepted and done. They would not take the time, nor the trouble, of sending me back for nothing." She turned back around, "I know that you all have responsibilities that you must see to, but I have to do this."

Sango and Miroku bowed their heads, "We're sorry, Kagome, but Saiya…" they began, only to have Kagome wave them off.

"Saiya should always come first to you. He's still a baby and needs you both around him." She answered for them, turning a little to smile at them in understanding, "Don't worry about me, the elders will see to it that I remain safe." She soothed, "If you're really worried then you can come back and see how I'm doing in a few weeks."

Shippou shook his head, "I'm staying with you, Kagome." He squeezed her hand, "I'll protect you from danger." Smiling up at her he tilted his head, "I'm a lot stronger then I used to be!"

Kagome grinned down at him, "I know, I've been watching you train." She gave him a quick wink, "Whoever thinks of attacking us is going to be in for a nasty surprise, aren't they?" she joked, not refusing his company… She doubted Sesshoumaru would kill a child… Especially a demon child… Perhaps knock him around a bit, but stopping short of death.

Kikyou sighed after Kagome finished speaking, "If you think you are capable of surviving on your own, then we will trust your decision." She agreed, "However, you must take care to avoid any demons other then Sesshoumaru… Some of them still hold ill will towards you for your success with the jewel, and will take whatever opportunity is given to them for vengeance."

Kagome nodded, and after a while of gaining advice from the others, she watched the two couples leave the way they came minus one oversized bag that was now held upon Kagome's back. She considered throwing it aside, but decided against it when she remembered the ramen. Once there were out of her sight she turned and gave Shippou an encouraging smile, "Ready to continue?"

Shippou returned her smile with a grin of his own, "Yeah! I bet Sesshoumaru will accept your help soon, Kagome!" he cheered, his brown eyes shinning up at her.

Kagome nodded, "Well let's get going, then." She lead him into the same path Sesshoumaru had taken, trying to reach out her senses as her father had taught… If there was a demon in a ten mile radius then she'd be able to detect a hint of their aura…

Unfortunately there were about twenty demons, three of which could have been Sesshoumaru, as the others power were far to low… The three demons were in different directions, ease, north, and west… Pausing for a moment Kagome frowned, then heaved a sigh and chose west, as Sesshoumaru was more then likely heading in that direction.

The two traveled in silence as Kagome concentrated on the demon aura. She began to have doubts of the demon's identity once it veered east a few miles… However, as they were still in the western lands, it could have just been Sesshoumaru inspecting the area.

Though when a second demonic aura speed into the area, stopping just in front of the one she was tracking… Strange, how the one she was following turned and fled from the second as though it were afraid… Frowning she continued walking, holding Shippou's hand tightly in case she had to quickly throw him out of harms way…

It wasn't like Sesshoumaru to show fear, so that would only mean that she hadn't been following Sesshoumaru at all, rather then another demon of the same class and strength… She wished she would have memorized his aura pattern while she'd seen him last, though she had decided to go formal and bow instead, keeping her gaze off of him.

Unlike her father, she hadn't had the time to learn how to memorize another aura by feeling it with their own, and the thought that she might have followed the wrong demon caused a sinking pit to enter her stomach… However, when she noticed that the fleeing demon was quickly retracing it's steps she knew that, whatever happened, she and Shippou would be in terrible danger.

Because if it was Sesshoumaru, then she doubted that he would be in much of a mood to deal with a human female following him with a small kitsune child with more guts then brains when it came to her safety. Not to mention the fact that she had previously insulted his honor by even thinking that a demon of his stature would ever need help from a lowly human.

If it weren't Sesshoumaru, then the danger, however lessened, would still be very real, as Sesshoumaru might have at least given them time to give him a proper explanation before decapitation. Whereas, this demon would, more then likely, simply attempt at ending their lives before any thought occurred to them to do anything else.

She quickly pushed Shippou into a nearby bush, putting her index finger to her lips before standing in the middle of the path, rising her chin up a notch in a effort to gain more courage, as she awaited the arrival of the demon in silence. Her blood pulsing in her veins, her breath held within her chest and her mouth pulled into a thin line of apprehension.

**_Authors Notes: Sorry for the short chapter… I've been having a stressful time here… Avrial's still got her ear infection, I'm living with my mother (who's a fucking bitch, at the current moment), and have been getting into so many verbal arguments that I've used up all of my emotions. I'll try for a better chapter next week, please, please forgive me! I tried as hard as I could, but the more I wrote the more out of character they became!_**


	6. Chapter 6

Authors Note: All right, here's how it is on my side of the court… Everybody is walking around on eggshells waiting for my mother to have another fit… It's difficult to sit down and concentrate for to long, and most of my work comes out sub-par after a little while. For me to write a decent chapter, everything has to be at a certain degree of calm… Of course, the way my mother is acting is throwing everything so far off base that it's impossible for me to do anything except flinch whenever I hear her bedroom door open. I hope this explains why my writing turned down hill… She does this every so often, and you can see it reflected in my writing as the idea's slow and the ability to continue becomes strained.

This is another reason why I will be revising the chapters as I go. Hopefully, this will help avoid writer's block, as well as give me a certain creative flow with ideas on future chapters… Also, the reason why I don't just merge to chapters together is that I'm actually skipping threw the boring events straight into the action/romance/drama/angst and what have you… Think of it as though you're reading a comic strip… It doesn't show you their everyday lives, just the exciting and humorous parts… However, if more of you think that I should merge the chapters, then I will do so to make you happy… I should warn you, however, that the updates would slow as a result… As I just said, there's just too much strain going on over here for me to push threw all at once.

ALSO: Please note that I can't find Kagome's fathers name in the fiction for some reason… Probably due to my lack of sleep and stress level at the moment. -.-# So, if his name changes in this chapter, give me a boot up the ass and the correct name.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-yasha or Sesshoumaru… Yet… Give me some time, a bucket of lard, and a monkey named George, and the current situation might change.

Chapter Six: Possessed Demons and Demanding Fathers

The demon's silver eyes narrowed onto Kagome, it's fangs dripping with blood, as though it had been feeding before it had been chased off. Wild red hair flamed around her narrow face, defying the very speed with which it traveled. It's finger tips were bleeding, the claws removed from their nail beds brutally only recently…

Kagome stepped back away from the beast, disgusted by it's feral appearance as she watched the demon flick her tongue across her teeth. Her shoulder jerked back, suddenly, as though it were fighting against its own body, as she arched her back, presenting her throat to Kagome while she laughed into the foliage overhead.

Swallowing threw a lump in her throat Kagome put her hand out, her palm facing the demon, prepared to send a wave of holy energy should she need to. She could feel the demon's insanity as clearly as she could feel her own fear, without even having to feel its aura… The woman before her could no longer be called a demon, as she had lost her ability to control even her own body.

No, Kagome was facing an abomination… A possessed soul that had lost the fight long ago, relinquishing her body into the invisible hands of a foreign entity… The demon's back suddenly arched more, her arm flinging itself out as though trying to capture the sun within her fist…

Kagome took another step back, hoping to lead the possessed demon away from Shippou's hiding place… If she released the amount of energy that she would need to release the poor soul in front of her, then she would accidentally kill Shippou in the process…

However the demon seemed content to stay as she was, her back arched into an almost complete version of a 'C'. Kagome kept her eyes locked onto the demon, forcing herself to remain calm as she side stepped around the demon, making sure to keep out of its reach as she did so. Once she was behind it, looking into its wide sightless eyes, she stuck her arm behind her back, then motioned for Shippou to run into the direction they had just came from.

It took him a minute to gather his courage, then he took off, darting from the bush to run away from the demon and Kagome… However, he ran deeper into the forest instead of the way Kagome had wanted, and the demon's eyes immediately stabbed into him. She watching him as he ran with a strange smile before her free arm snapped to the ground, flipping the demon into the air so that she landed on her feet.

Kagome reacted instantly, charging the demon head on as her palm began glowing with a pale blue light. She could hear Shippou suddenly cry out as her hand made contact with the possessed demon's face, the light pouring into it, suffocating it with her pure miko powers. The demon roared, its claw-less fingers reaching out to slash at her, leaving its own blood to stain on the miko's clothes.

Kagome could feel the evil pulling her down, trying to break her will into its own so that it would have another body to inhabit. She closed her eyes, refusing entrance and forcing more power threw her hand. She could feel the demons skin begin to heat at an alarming rate, threatening to burn her alive should the fight take to long.

A scream sounded threw out the forest, though she couldn't tell weather it was the demons or her own. The light around her dimmed behind her lids, her consciousness threatening to fail her as she pushed even more of her energy into the demon. She could still feel it's fingertips trying to rip into her flesh, wishing desperately for the support of her friends.

Her knees suddenly gave way, thoughts racing threw her mind with such speed that she couldn't remember what they were. Half formed ideas ending as her hand slid away from the demon's face, feeling the failure and disbelief acutely… She'd not only managed to get herself killed, she'd also allowed the poor soul she'd been fighting to release to continue in its torture.

Sesshoumaru quickly grabbed the miko's hair, preventing her from falling face first into the dirt as he rose his claws to strike at the possessed demon… The young demon stood behind him, screaming the woman's name repeatedly, thoroughly annoying the older dog demon. In a fluid motion he jerked at Kagome's hair, throwing her body behind him towards the annoying kitsune as his hand jabbed down, digging deep into the other demons scalp.

Calmly extracting his claws from the corpse he ripped off a piece of cloth from the deceased's body and wiped his hand clean, holding back a flinch as the sent of the tainted blood reached his nostrils. The kitsune continued to cry out the miko's name, shaking her arm roughly in attempt to wake the unconscious woman.

He kept his face placid as he turned to face the two, furious that they had dared to attempt at following him into his lands… Though more so annoyed with the fact that he hadn't been able to detect their presence until the young boy was almost upon him, screaming for help… Something that greatly confused him, though his demeanor never changed from his bland outer appearance.

Turning away from the two he glanced down at the corpse, turning his nose in disgust as it's finger twitched… Probably a delayed reaction to the poison, though the chance of the creature within it still alive was something he didn't desire to take. Taking two of his fingers, he formed his acid whip and quickly destroyed the body with a few precise strokes.

He turned around to once more glance at the young woman and kitsune child, before turning to leave once more. He had neither the time nor patience to tolerate them any longer then he had. Their encounter with the possessed demon would be a passable consequence for their behavior and arrogance in assuming to force their presence upon his person.

He'd managed to take two steps when a small body suddenly was latched onto his leg, attempting to prevent his leaving. Pausing, his golden eyes glanced down to the demon child, staring at him for a moment before arching an eyebrow. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked calmly, reaching down to take the boy by his collar, then lifting him up to look him eye to eye.

Shippou glared at Sesshoumaru, his brown eyes flashing with anger as he pointed to Kagome, "You can't just leave her like this!" he cried out, "If a demon attacks us again then we'll have no defense against them!"

Sesshoumaru dropped the kit as his eyebrow lowered into it's original position, "That is of no concern to this Sesshoumaru." He stated before continuing his exit. He could still hear the child ranting at his back, though paid no mind to it, as he had more important matters to attend to… However…

He paused a few yards away, looking back down the path at the unconscious human and the small child attempting to awaken her… Uselessly, he knew… The woman would remain 'asleep' for days before returning to consciousness, regaining the strength and spiritual power she'd used in her fight to save her own soul and body from the same taint that had taken her opponents.

There was no cover for miles that would serve as a decent hiding place for the human to rest in, and he doubted the young kit would last long, as he would undoubtedly defend the wench with everything he had… Then lose, giving his life for nothing.

Though thought concerned him more then he liked, forcing him to narrow his eyes towards the two as he cursed himself silently. It was illogical for him to be considering going back and taking the woman and her young companion, something so out of character that he knew that something or someone was attempting to persuade him into taking positive action to the two.

Kagome's father frowned as he watched the other man attempt to manipulate Sesshoumaru enough to return and take his daughter and her adopted child with him to his castle… He really didn't think it was the best way to go about things… Then again, Mamrou knew more about Sesshoumaru then he did, and he'd only just witnessed the stubbornness that the other man had been speaking of.

"Damn it, Sesshoumaru!" the other man snapped out, "You take after your blasted mother!" growling he squinted his eyes, concentrating harder on his son, pushing him to do the right thing. His long bluish silver hair glinted from the sun as the dark blue quarter moon crinkled in his frown.

Sighing he walked over to his daughters body and checked her aura for any alterations that might have occurred during her battle with the evil specter. He frowned at himself, shaking his head as he glanced over to the corpse, wondering how it had managed to slip by him unnoticed… Sighing once more he looked back down to Kagome, not seeing any changes.

Standing back up he heard a triumphant shout, "There you go, boy!" Mamrou shouted, walking along with his son as Sesshoumaru calmly returned to Kagome and Shippou. Akito grinned as he watched Sesshoumaru gracefully bend down… Then grab Kagome by her wrist and threw her over his shoulder.

Mamrou was instantly ranting at his son, his bronze eyes shooting fire into Sesshoumaru's back, "Sesshoumaru! You idiot! You do not treat ladies in such a way!" he shouted, raising his fist to cuff his fist against his son's ear a few times, "You know better then this!"

"Mamrou, calm down." Akito shouted, rushing forward to restrain the older demon, "He won't feel it anyway." He matched the demons strength with is own, happy to find them equal at the moment.

Mamrou, however, quickly got the upper hand as he struggled for Sesshoumaru's neck, "How dare he treat a woman in such a way?!" he shouted, his temper getting the better of him, "He gets this from his damned mother, I swear it!" he shook his fist at Sesshoumaru.

Akito shook his head, "Mamrou, damn it!" he suddenly released the demon, "You're being ridiculous, I thought demon lords were supposed to have restraint." He rolled his eyes as Mamrou stumbled away from him at his sudden freedom, "Graceful, too."

Glaring at Akito, Mamrou grunted, "You sound like Naru." He muttered, crossing his arms as he continued to glare at his son. "At least Inu-yasha treats his woman better." He shook his head, "Though his attitude in the past left much to be desired."

Akito shrugged, pushing back his black hair with a careless hand, "What's done is done. Everything will turn out fine for them… Kagome's a very expectable and resourceful young woman. She'll get the job done soon enough, then you can rest easy in the knowledge that your sons are living fulfilling lives of their own." He grinned with pride at his daughter, who was currently being none to gracefully carried by the single armed demon. "Who knows, maybe she'll even be able to fix that arm of his…" he paused, shrugging his shoulders, "Should she ever figure out how to use her regenitive powers correctly."

Mamrou shrugged, grinning over to Akito, "You mean to say that you didn't teach her how to use them correctly, eh?" he laughed as Akito glared over at him, "Never fear, I'm sure your Kagome will prove herself to be everything you were, and more." He announced, "Until then, Sesshoumaru has been doing very well with only one arm."

Mamrou started walking after his son, Akito falling into step beside him as they followed their children for a ways in silence… The elders had requested their assistance in Kagome's mission, knowing that there would be periods of time when Sesshoumaru would be… Less then accepting… Of Kagome's help… Though to be honest, they could only suspect at the help Kagome was to give Sesshoumaru, as the elders had decided not to give them that information.

Mamrou pulled strands of his bluish silver hair behind his ear, his frown gone as he studied his sons back. "You know, Akito…" he stated, sadly shaking his head, "Sesshoumaru held so much potential for good when he was younger..."

Looking over to the demon he arched his brows, "Really?" he questioned with interest, "Why do you say that?"

Sighing Mamrou shook his head, lowering his eyes a fraction before answering, "…He used to care."

Shippou watched Sesshoumaru carry away Kagome with a start, unaware that he'd returned, and startled that he would offer his help when he'd just denied it only moments ago… It was strange that the older demon would assist them in any way, and unusual that he would even give them a second thought for any reason.

Though he choose to keep his questions to himself, knowing that if he tried to dig, he'd only get nothing in his efforts except, perhaps, the loss of his life… So instead, he quickly caught up to the older demon and walked beside him, silently looking up at him for a moment, hoping that he would, perhaps, offer some sort of conversation…

His hopes were in vane, as Sesshoumaru kept to himself, blandly staring ahead of them as he walked down the path, further into his lands and away from the near bloodless battle scene. The silence of the forest speaking volumes to the young boy, as he looked up to the woman dangling from Sesshoumaru's shoulder…

Authors Note: Yes, yes… I know it's short. -.-# I'm very sorry about this, though I can't really think of anything more to put in without having the chapter quickly turn down hill and boring. I promise you, however, that I will work tirelessly on the next chapter, and that it will be so much better! My mother's finally calmed down enough for me to regain the mellow that I need, Avrial's ear infection is finally gone, and I'm feeling the creative jucies begin to flow once more… I thank you for your patence with me, so far, an I'm greatful for everyone's kind words! Thank you so much for your support.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

**Breeding School:** _They all go to a special school, where secrets are held, and magical things take place. The older students say nothing, so they are all left in the dark, but there is something strange about this school; Breeding School High… Sess/Kag __A/U_ – _Regular, normal, nothing special about her, Kagome, is requested by her friend to buy a love potion… However, when the stores owner bequeaths her a beautiful doll with strange markings, her life becomes anything buy 'normal'. _


	7. Chapter 7: IS ON TIME!

**Authors Notes:** All right, I managed to submit the last chapter on schedule (well… Mostly, only a couple hours late). It's now Sunday (yes, yes, I should have already begun working on it), so I've only got a total of half a week to finish. I haven't continued with 'Watching You Dance', yet, and I probably won't for a little bit. Now, let's cheer for eight pages (hopefully)!!! If I make it, then I figure I deserve reviews. XP Lolz

**Reviews** are responded to in person threw messaging! I respond to each one of my reviews! If you are not getting my responses, then please tell me and I'll do something about it, I want everyone to know that I'm loving them all. . Oh, and as for reviewers without an account, I'll probably just respond to you threw here. This is just to make it easier for me to sort threw and everything. .

**Sesshoumaru**'s _finally_ in a complete chapter staring both him and Kagome! Please note that Sesshoumaru will not be opening up overnight (I hate it when people write him as 'changed' in just one chapter, don't you? … Besides, he's not 'changed'! He's 'open', there's a difference). Hopefully you'll see the minor appearances of him opening up to Kagome. (Not in this chapter, however you will get some insight. . 'Cause I'm nice like that.)

**Please Note** that I have finally quit smoking (a total of forty eight hours since my last cigarette). My mother is also quitting… She's constantly pissing me off… We're all watching 'The Covenant,' and I'm enjoying it so far… Oh yeah… And the screw from my glasses ear piece fell out, so I'm having trouble reading this. .;;; -Is eating sour candy- O.O;;; IIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!

**Disclaimer:** -:Points to the 'fan' part of 'fanfiction':- … Enough said.

**Chapter Seven:**

A steady pressure on her stomach slowly awoke the slender woman, her misty blue eyes frowning to herself as she wondered what had happened and why she would be dangling upside down. She could hear leaves crunching underneath someone's boot, and the shoulder she was currently residing on seemed to give a small twitch with each little noise.

She groaned and pushed herself away from the back of the person carrying her, leveling herself the best she could so that blood could once again run threw her head. A wave of dizziness temporally preventing her from further thought as one of her hands freed itself to press against her throbbing temple.

'_Good lord…'_ she moaned, massaging her temple with her index and middle fingers, _'It feels like my brain's trying to escape threw my ear.'_ She was about to give out another pained groan when she felt herself suddenly being dropped unceremoniously to the ground.

Bracing herself for impact she managed to cover her head with her arms as she twisted her body, coming to a harsh landing on her left hip, her arms cushioning the blow to her head as her knees snapped together. She could feel her justifiable anger surging to life as she rolled herself onto her back, brushing long wavy black hair from her eyes.

She closed her eyes and counted to ten, attempting to calm her mood by sheer will, instead of unleashing it upon her tormentor's head. She felt a small hand gently shake her shoulder, forcing another groan out of her as she blew hair away from her face, opening one eye to look into Shippou's.

Sighing she offered the small kit a reassuring grin, pushing the rest of her hair from her face with a free hand. The headache she'd had upon first awakening was beginning to fade, as well as the dizziness, though her memory wasn't making itself known, and it annoyed her that she couldn't remember how she'd gone from fighting to being carried by… Someone…

Her movements paused as she realized that, if she had been carried, then it would also mean that someone had to carry her… Although, from the way she had woken, they hadn't given much thought to her comfort… She considered thanking the person who'd carried her, only to have the memory of falling to the ground leap out at her.

Her eyes snapped fire as they darted around in search of her target, words forming into her mind of what she would say to the inconsiderate, and probably male, who dared to drop her without so much as a warning!

Her eyes landed on the silver hair before her brain caught up with the situation, allowing her mouth to run without thinking of consequences, "What's wrong with you?!" she snapped, pushing herself off the ground and onto her legs, "You don't just drop people without any notice! I could have been seriously hurt!"

Brushing herself off she continued to glare into the back of her target of aggression, "Didn't your mother ever teach you anything about manners?" flipping her hair over her shoulder she allowed her hand to raise up and her index finger to jab savagely into his direction. "Your behavior speaks of your raising, you kno-"

Sesshoumaru snapped around, his hand shooting out to take her by her neck without warning as his eyes narrowed a fraction in concentration. Kagome gasped for air, her hands coming up to clasp his wrist in attempt to free her air passage from his crewel grip.

'_Oh lord… I'm going to die.'_ She thought to herself, recalling Sesshoumaru's attitude towards human life suddenly. Attempting to loosen his grip by pulling in his wrists, she could feel his poisonous claws graze against her skin lightly, though not breaking threw to contaminate her blood.

He merely lifted her up slightly, forcing her to keep balance on her toes in effort to keep herself from being strangled. Watching without interest as her face paled to a warm bluish shade as she continued her struggle for her life. Her young kit was throwing some weak attacks at him, and he supposed he really shouldn't decapitate the woman in front of him… However, her behavior could not be tolerated.

He dropped her to the ground, once again, staring levelly at her for a few moments as her hands went up to rub against the angry welts his fingers had made. His eyes drew her in, filling her world with frozen daggers and snowflakes, until he turned away from her, averting his gaze from her body as though he couldn't stand the sight of it.

Glaring into the demons back she forced herself to be calm, knowing that she would never get him to agree for her help if she continued to insult him and his family… No doubt she'd also struck a nerve in her brazen stupidity of attacking him verbally and attempting to use his parents as a weapon.

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Sesshoumaru released the idiotic girl and turned away from her, refusing to hear any more of her opinions… However, he knew her to be correct in saying that the behavior of the child reflects upon the parent…

Though his father would be displeased with his actions and utter loathing of human beings and their pitiful nature; his mother would have been disgusted with is show of emotions towards one of the pitiful creatures previously mentioned… Especially one that carried holy powers with the ability to purify lesser demons.

Releasing an internal sigh he closed his eyes, waiting for the miko to stand on her own, furious with himself for having allowed the wench's words to get to him he crossed his arms… As frustrating as it was to be patient, he knew he would have to wait a moment or two for the stupid girl to regain her ability to speak coherently.

Upon reflection he probably shouldn't have squeezed her neck, as he was only tolerating their presence long enough to gain some answers… However, the woman had definitely needed to be put into her place before another word was said.

You would think that, as a human, she would realize that she was not to question a man's authority… If he hadn't known about her temper even when she was alive the first time, he would have generously placed it as a temporary effect from returning to life.

He could hear her pushing herself back up onto her feet, feel her anger as she glared into his back, though keeping her thoughts to herself… It seemed she'd just learned to keep herself in check while around his person… Another lesson successfully taught, by the demon lord of the western lands…

"I'm very sorry for inferring that your parents raised you as anything but responsibly and respectfully." She apologized from behind him, and he was sure she was probably offering a deep bow as well, showing him she was indeed sorry for her transgression.

Without turning Sesshoumaru nodded his head once imperiously, showing that he had heard and understood her apology as what it was, then turned slightly and looked at her from the corner of his eye, studying the top of her head… Strange as she was, she seemed to be at least attempting to behave normally.

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Kagome continued her bow until she felt sure Sesshoumaru seen it, then straightened herself out and quickly memorized his aura… If worse came to worse, she could continuously track him down until he finally accepted her help… She hoped it wouldn't come to that, however.

Clearing her throat she shook her head, "Lord Sesshoumaru, I hope that I do not anger you in my quest." She spoke formally, once more, keeping her eyes lowered a fraction from his. If she had to play the wallflower for a little while to make him agree to take her help, then so be it. "I do not mean to make myself a burden, though I must offer you my assistance."

She felt him staring at her… Probably with one of his eyebrows arched in a haughty manner, as though she were lower then him in some way, shape, or form… Probably something that she would simply have to get used to.

"What do you think a human could help this Sesshoumaru with?" he suddenly asked, his soft voice drifted over to her, causing her to jump slightly at it's bluntness. His arm was hanging down by his side, his chin in the air as he looked down on her, one eyebrow raised in disbelief that a human would ever be able to assist him with anything.

Kagome frowned for a moment, caught off guard by the simple question he'd just asked… _'Come to think of it,'_ she thought to herself, sticking her lower lip into her mouth, then grazing it lightly with her teeth, _'I was never told what I needed to help him with…'_

The knowledge that she had neither been asked, or was told, what her duties towards Sesshoumaru were… To enthusiastic over having a mission to begin with to even consider asking for more information… Not that she'd gotten much of a chance, what with her fathers lovely prank.

Frowning she shook her head, her arms resting on her hips as she thought back, already knowing that she hadn't forgotten that vital piece of information… Which would mean that, unless she helped him with everything and anything he allowed her too, she would more then likely fail her assignment.

She suddenly felt like cursing, the words already half formed on her lips while her gaze narrowed, knowing that her father must have 'forgotten' to mention _what_ she was supposed to help him _with_. A mistake that would probably cost her not only time, but his patience as well.

Forcing back a disgruntled sigh she straightened her shoulders, "I would assist you." She finally answered, biting the inside of her cheek as she finished… This was her own fault… She should have realized that she had been told next to nothing of the mission she would be on… Not that she could have honestly done anything about it until her father decided to make some sort of contact.

Sesshoumaru blankly looked at her, "So I've gathered." He stated, "What I would like to know, however, is in what you will be assisting me _with_" he turned to face her completely, the force from his emotionless gaze making her swallow.

'_Thanks a lot, dad, now what am I supposed to do?_' she snapped out mentally, closing her eyes for a moment to rethink her situation…

Sesshoumaru, the killing perfection in all sense of the phrase, towered above her, like some beautiful bird of pray, causing a shiver of fear to run down her back. His blank eyes staring down at her as though he couldn't care less in what she had to say. Not even an agitated arch of his eyebrow.

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Sesshoumaru watched the woman's face contort itself into different expressions, each one, he was sure, accompanied by their respective emotions… It was rather interesting to witness so many different emotions running threw at the same time, humorous even.

He could clearly see that she was at a loss as to what she was supposed to help him with, probably due to failure to question her role in her supposed 'mission'… He couldn't really blame her, after all… It was only human.

He stifled to urge to smirk at the thought, instead twitching his eyebrows up to show her he was losing his patience as he continued to keep his emotionless mask in place. She spotted it instantly, causing her silence to end and babble to explode from her.

"I'm sorry!" she pleaded, "My father didn't give me time to properly learn my responsibility or duties!" though her excuse was supposed to calm him, it seemed to anger her, as she stomped her foot in a childish show of temper, "This is just like him! I bet he's watching me now… Laughing."

He lowered his brows as he watched the little miko suddenly stop, then glare about them as though she could force out her 'father' using the power of her anger alone. Which was ridiculous, as the little human probably only held enough power to purify a few of the lesser demons…

Then the picture of the possessed demon entered his mind, and he rejected fragility, replacing it, instead, with one of stupidity… Strength without intelligence was a greater weakness then physical prowess.

The girl suddenly cast her glare into his eyes, giving him the insane urge to back away from the piercing stare. He arched his eyebrow, ignoring the impulse with a vengeance he usually only reserved for his enemies.

"My mission is to assist you… Therefore, until I know what I'm supposed to be helping you with, I suppose that it would be smart just to give you a hand in everything." She nodded her head after the small explanation, as though solving all of her problems with the end of those words.

Sesshoumaru frowned at her, his eyes going down to rest upon one of her hands, _'A hand? The human wench is going to give me one of her hands?'_ he removed his eyes from her hand to stare levelly into her eyes, "This Sesshoumaru, has no need of a human hand."

When he only received an incredulous look in return he decided that he must have misunderstood her; something he didn't do everyday, but still… It wasn't unheard of to make mistakes, even in his height of rank. Straightening his shoulders he continued his stare, settling his arm elegantly behind his back.

The woman rolled her eyes when he gave no further response and crossed her arms in front of her chest, as though imitating him. "Having me along won't hurt you, or your reputation." She stated, eyeing him, "I'm not a 'mere' human." Her chin rose a couple notches, "I'm a miko… One that has already died."

Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her, now growing annoyed that she seemed to think herself aquatinted with him in the least, "Do not assume to know anything about me, human."

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Kagome was seething quietly to herself as he just continued look at her in that bored careless fashion he seemed to always support… As though she were an insect that deserved nothing but the passing glance, let alone deserving enough to hold an intelligent conversation with.

She could feel her temper begin to snap at his stare, "Stop calling me human in that tone of voice!" she barked at him, though she couldn't exactly say that he was saying anything thing in what could be called a _tone_.

"My name is Kagome." She informed him, releasing one of her arms to point into her own chest, "Ka-go-me… Not human… Not wench… Not miko… KAGOME!" she shook her head, "I don't even know why the elders want me to help you."

Tossing her hair over her shoulder she continued on, ignoring the danger of releasing her anger at the demon, even if he did deserve it. "You're beyond my help." She growled, "You don't care about anything except yourself, and I doubt you even do _that_ properly!"

Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her, however now his eyes were narrowed a fraction. Noticing this she pretended to let out a loud gasp, "Oh no! Have I managed to crack that shell of yours?!" she shook her head dramatically, "Never say the _great and almighty Sesshoumaru_ is showing his emotions!"

"Huma-"

"DON'T CALL ME HUMAN!" she bellowed, throwing her hands up into the air she turned her back on him, "As a matter of fact, don't call me anything! I'm threw with this!" she marched over to Shippou and picked him up, "You're hopeless and a waist of my time!"

Shippou's face was pale and he shivered in fear, knowing that Kagome was tempting the fates with her own life. Struggling to get out of her arms in order to protect his mother he seen Sesshoumaru's arm suddenly dart towards Kagome's back.

Opening his mouth to scream a warning Kagome had already flung her body to the side, landing them both roughly onto their sides. Cursing she stood up, continuing to hold onto Shippou with on arm as she dusted off her clothes with the other… _'Just how many times am I going to land on my hip?!'_ she thought to herself, glaring further at the now aching part, _'I'm probably going to have a massive bruise.'_

She turned around, glaring at the demon as he stared at her… Almost as blank as before, only this time he'd accidentally allowed a spark of fury to graze into his eyes. "You will not address me in such a tone or attitude again, human."

"I'll address you in any tone or attitude I want to, _demon_." She snapped, "I tried being respectful of you, but there's only so much I can take!" shaking her head she sighed, lowering her voice, "Even if you do need help, there's clearly nothing I can do."

She turned around once more to walk off, when she felt a steely grip on her upper arm, preventing her from leaving. Turning around once more the first thing she seen were his eyes…

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**Authors Note:** All right! I'm finished with chapter seven::Smirks:: I'm so proud of myself… I mean, there's not as much emotion as I truly want, but I still believe it's good… However, as always, if you see any places to improve upon, holler at me! Help me mold 'To Touch Heaven' into a half way decent story!

::Has gone nearly six full days without a cigarette!::

**Dolls Resemblance:** _A/U_ – Average Jane, Kagome, is requested by her friend to buy a love potion… However, when the stores owner bequeaths her a beautiful doll with strange markings, her life becomes anything buy 'normal'.

((Remove spaces for link))


	8. Chapter 8: Sorry for being Tardy!

**cookie tirone:** Mawha! I've been waiting for somebody to ask that question!!! The answer is really simple (and a tad bit overused)… I'd tell you, but it'd be a spoiler, and I'm sure you all know it deep within you. . It'll be sweet, though, you'll see. ((Cookie asked what Kagome's mission actually was.))

**Kate:** I'll take your suggestion and put it to some use. . Thanks for your creative criticism, it's greatly appreciated. .

**Authors Note:** All right! I managed to submit chapter seven on time! … Actually, I even managed to get it updated a few hours earlier then first expected! I'm very happy with this fact, as I'm usually a day or two late. .; Thanks for putting up with it… Anyhow, I've got another two days until I've got this chapter to upload, let's see if I can't make the mark, shall we? .

**This chapter was completed on schedule… HOWEVER, my elder brother (Ernie) recently received a laptop... Needless to say, I'm amazed to be online so soon. -.-#**

**Also**: As I didn't make my eight-page goal last chapter, I've decided to grind my teeth and my creativity until I get ten this chapter! **I'LL REACH MY GOAL IF IT KILLS ME**!!! … If it kills me, then don't worry, I'll continue updating beyond the grave… Because I'm awesome like that. XP

PLEASE HELP!!! I NEED A CONFLICT IN MY STORY THAT WILL IMPROVE IT!!! ANY SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME AND DESIRED!!! MAKE SURE THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH NARAKU ((character incarnations are acceptable, however)! ORIGINAL CHARACTERS ARE FINE AND WILL BE ACCEPTED!!! CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN!!!

**Disclaimer: **Rumiko Takashi told me in a dream that if I ever attempted to steal _her_ characters, then _I_ would find myself slammed into such a lawsuit I would never be able to fully recover… I'm not going to take the chance… . 

**Chapter Eight:**

The usually cool pools of bronze were now turning a molten gold, boiling with ill-contained rage towards the young woman his tightening grasp held onto. She could feel her skin threatening to break under his poisonous claws, fearful of the possible reality of a very painful death waiting before her.

Sesshoumaru's face seemed relaxed, without even a frown to mare it's deadly beauty, and she was sure her end was once again coming near… Could feel it in the very air, cracking with demonic energy as his aura swirled around him, pushing against her pure miko energy… Trying to bend it into submission, to twist it into his own will.

She struggled to pull her arm out of his grasp, to frightened to even scream as she threw Shippou away from the enraged demon. The first of his claws sank in her skin, allowing her warm life giving blood to leak out, first in droplets, then in a steady stream of deep red. Could feel the poison seep its way into her blood stream as her eyes began to droop.

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Mamrou and Akito each panicked as they watched the young woman's eyelashes fall gently to her cheekbones. Akito stood beside his daughter, willing energy into her body almost as quickly as she was losing hers while Mamrou bellowed into his sons ear to release the poor girl before she died.

"Mamrou! I can't keep this up forever, damn it!" Akito shouted at his partner, continuing to push more energy into Kagome's weakening body as she slumped to the ground. Watching fearfully as Sesshoumaru pulled her back up, her feet dangling inches above the ground.

The deceased demon lord glared at his son, "Release the miko, Sesshoumaru!" he hollered, rising his fist and swinging it at his eldest son, growling deeply as it passed threw him gently, leaving him untouched.

The two men continued their battle to save the young miko's life when a sudden third party entered the area, a small smile gracing her lips and an amused eyebrow arching up. Long blue hair flowed behind her as her bronze eyes laughed at the sight before her.

"Gentlemen… It seems you've gotten yourselves into a difficult situation." She mused calmly, looking at her son, "He always did have such a temper." Shaking her head she looked down at her claws, "You never should have mated with that human after my death, Mamrou."

Mamrou rolled his eyes, "You're thinking of Inu-yasha, Nishi." he snapped, his anger with Sesshoumaru nothing compared with his hatred for his previous mate, "This is Sesshoumaru… Your son." Shaking his head he focused his now dormant powers into Sesshoumaru's arm, planning on giving him a slight jolt in order to awaken him from his red haze.

Nishi tilted her head slightly, a soft frown playing onto her features, "Sesshoumaru?" she questioned, looking at the demon in question, "Impossible… I would never breed something so pathetic!" she snapped, lifting her chin arrogantly, "Just look at his eyes! Can he control nothing?" shaking her head she began to circle around the small gathering, "And _where_ is his other arm?"

Akito stared at the woman as though she'd lost her mind… What was her problem? He cleared his throat and continued concentrating on Kagome as Mamrou continued gathering energy to flick into Sesshoumaru's arm… A difficult task to pull, as to much energy would very likely kill both him and the girl, yet to little would simply annoy him.

"Oh lord!" Nishi growled, allowing her energy to swirl about her, then sending it crashing into Sesshoumaru's side. The younger demon didn't stand a chance as he fell limply to the ground, dropping the miko beside him and leaving the young kit to fend for his elders' bodies until they reawakened.

Staring at the scene open mouthed, Mamrou's eyes slowly traveled up to meet his previous mates, shaking his head. However, he quickly rained in his emotions, knowing them to be a weakness around Nishi, and growled deeply, "Why are you here, bitch?" he questioned softly, flexing his claws, "You have not been around since my death, perhaps longer."

Shrugging slender shoulders she gracefully perched herself onto of a small boulder, "I heard a rumor that the greatest of the demon lords had returned to earth for a short time…" she trailed off, picking a speck of imaginary dust from her kimono's wide sleeve. The lavender base a perfect match for the tiny golden leaves sewn into the silk fabric.

Akito kept his mouth shut though wasn't able to keep the disgust from his eyes as he looked over to Mamrou, silently asking him what had possessed him to 'mate' with such a horrid creature. Mamrou, however, merely shook his head, waving it away for the moment as he turned his attention back to Nishi.

With a small sigh, the human spirit knelt down to inspect his charges, allowing his shoulders to relax as both of their chests rose with each breath they took… However, Kagome's seemed shallower, and would probably need more energy in order to recover from the poison… On the bright side, after this was over she would not have to worry about Sesshoumaru's poison being lethal any longer.

Pushing himself away from the ground into a standing position he began setting up a spiritual shield, preventing any evil aura entrance to the small clearing. The boy would at least be safe enough, though he appeared frightened and confused as to what had just happened…

Akito couldn't blame him; if he'd just seen his mother being dangled a few inches from the ground by a six foot plus demon he would be a little shaken up as well… But then to watch as that demon fell to the ground for, what it must have looked like, seemingly no reason was frightening on a different level.

Rolling his eyes he sat beside the boy and spread out his aura, offering the boy a tiny personal shield for extra protection… After all, from what he understood, Shippou was considered a son to Kagome, and therefore, a grandson to him.

Mamrou was still arguing with Nishi over what she'd done to Sesshoumaru, warning her against bothering them in their mission… Something he probably shouldn't have said in front of the icy demoness standing in front of him… Though it was probably common knowledge anyhow.

Akito watched as Mamrou tugged at the wide sleeve of his hiaori, the exact same pattern and colors as the one Sesshoumaru wore. Akito guessed it was because of their stature… Much like the English lords of the eighteen hundreds wearing their colors and shield of arms… Though, personally, he wouldn't be caught dead wearing a boa around him.

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Shippou looked at the two adults now lying before him, unconscious to the world around them with their faces against the forest floor… Kagome was breathing steadily; somehow, the poison he could smell within her somehow seemed to be lessening. Though he felt thankful for the miracle, he couldn't help but ask himself how it was possible.

Both of their breathing was regularly, and no signs of trauma stood out to the young kit, however he was also very aware of the fact that the two individuals sleeping before him were a very tempting treat in their weakened state.

Sesshoumaru, because he was the demon lord of the western lands… Someone that would not only hold power but also a sizable sum of gold as well. Should he be held prisoner and kept unconscious, there was no reason why someone wouldn't pay his ransom.

Kagome held power as well, though it held no candle against her beauty… Something that seemed to have only grown since her death, as her pale skin clashed magnificently with her raven locks. The white gown that she still wore had somehow managed to clean itself, removing the stain and leaving only the silky textured fabric untouched.

He wasn't that concerned with the demon lord; he could rot for all Shippou could care, but Kagome presented a dangerous problem… He was unwilling to lose the mother he'd only just gotten back from deaths clutches, yet he only had his fox fire to protect her with… And if she was taken, then he doubted he'd ever see her again.

Frowning in concentration he pushed the adults onto their backs, then retrieved the forgotten bag and dug inside it, looking for something to lay under her head. Finding a change of Kikyou's clothing, he folded up the red pants and placed it under her head, then used the shirt to cover her chest with.

Next he stared at Sesshoumaru, wondering if he should help the older demon, then tossed the thought aside. He deserved nothing short of death for the way he'd treated Kagome, even if she had insulted him… Something he'd also deserved, in Shippou's opinion.

Turning away from the demon he concentrated on Kagome, reaching into the bag to withdraw the white cloths and a mixture of herbs used for medical treatment, then began applying it to her torn flesh. Her hand twitched slightly from the stinging concoction, but otherwise she made no motion of life.

If it hadn't been for the feeling of protection that had swam into him he would have already burst into uncontrollable sobs. It felt as though someone were watching over him, protecting him from the dangers around him; and he had a feeling that the someone in question was none other then Kagome's father.

If that were the case, then there wasn't any need to be to frightened of the cercimstance… Nor with Kagome's health, even, as he doubted Kagome's father would be so uncaring as to allow her death in such a way.

Though he couldn't help but remember the sudden pain that flashed across Sesshoumaru's face just before he fell to the ground. He had appeared to have been attacked by an unseen foe, and he doubted that foe had much to do with Kagome's father, whom she'd only described as 'playful'. The vicious attack could not have been considered 'playful' in any means.

Shaking his head he looked between the two adults, furious with them for allowing their tempers to get the better of them… Kagome, of course, was bound to do it eventually… Sesshoumaru, however, was supposed to be stoic and uncaring, and something as little as Kagome insulting him shouldn't have set it off with such a force…

Could it?

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((Like my page break? . Pulled something special out for you all.))

Two days later Kagome awoke, groggy and disorientated, to a darkened sky and an empty stomach. Her head once again hurt, though the pain seemed to be fading quickly. Her body felt as though it were made of lead, and a faint creak in her neck told her she'd been laying in one position for to long.

A few feet away from her she spotted Sesshoumaru, leaning against a tree for support as his head drooped onto his chest. His swords had been removed, though placed in his lap, as though someone had considered moving them further, only to disregard the idea as futile effort in the protection of their life.

Kagome had to agree… If anything, it would only serve to anger the demon more then necessary, as he would undoubtedly awake in a fowl mood to begin with…

Kagome was rubbing the sleep from her eyes when her eyes darted over to the sleeping demon a few feet away from her across a dying fire. Her eyes widening in fear and anger as the past events blazed forth across her memory; of her body slowly dying under his crewel grasp.

She dragged her body up, using the support of a nearby tree to keep herself steady, and stumbled over to his body, not knowing what she would do once she reached him… Though the thought of questioning him about Shippou had taken root as a deep frown of worry edged around her mouth.

Though once she tripped over his sleeping body her fears were quickly put to rest when his grunt of pain entered her sleep drugged mind.

A sigh of relief escaping threw her lips she allowed herself a moments pause to kneel beside her adopted son to inspect his injuries… Once she came up with nothing, she released a sigh and stood up once more… For some reason, Sesshoumaru had left Shippou untouched.

Shaking her head in wonder her misty blue eyes drifted over to the demon, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath he took. His silver hair handing like a silken curtain around his body, tangled slightly by the wind and mistreatment that Shippou had obviously overlooked.

**Authors Note**: I bet you think you know why Sesshoumaru's is the way he is (or the way he is in this fiction), don't you? … Well I bet you money that you don't::Smirks proudly:: Or maybe you do… ::Wiggles fingers:: WoOoOoOo… You never know!

Anyhow, yes, Sesshoumaru's mother (as I'm showing her in this fanfiction) is, for lack of a better word (and the double pun is not intended), a fing bitch… Not evil, however, just… Ugh. ::Makes a face:: Poor Sesshoumaru… Raised by a woman like that!!! Isn't there _anyone_ that will hug him and love him forever and always?!

::Sees thousands of hands suddenly begin waving madly around in the air::

… Yes, stupid question. -.-#

You can probably see that I wrote myself into a corner in this chapter, don't worry, it's only this part, and it will be all cleared up soon… Until Thursday, I plan on working with it so that To Touch Heaven has got a decent chapter eight ending… I don't want to make you all sore with me for writing an absolute horrible chapter.

**ALSO: I WOULD LIKE TO STATE RIGHT NOW A FACT FROM THE INU-YASHA SERIES!!! The manga reveals that SESSHOUMARU'S MOTHER is alive and well (as in, any and all fanfictions, including this one, are incorrect in their assumptions that Sesshoumaru's mother is dead). She's actually rather beautiful and is the reason why Sesshoumaru bears the crescent moon on his forehead. . It's insinuated that they don't know each other well and that he could freely go see her whenever he desires… This is all I know, however. If you'd like, I can give you a link where you can go see her picture. . Sesshoumaru looks like her, save for the markings on his cheeks (hers are squiggly lines)… Right down to his 'fluff'…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Note:** All right, it's chapter nine, and I figure it's about time for Kagome and Sesshoumaru to come to an understanding… After all, if they were to stand about in the woods the entire story it would be rather lame… And we can only watch so much of Kagome's near-death experiences before we just yawn and leave (or at least, I know I would).

**EXTENDED A/N**: Erin just strangled me about fifteen minutes ago after dropping me off from the bar… I believe she said, "I mean it about killing you if you forget to update tonight"… Death threats work… Especially if they are actually able to be carried out. O.o; Also, I'm getting a new laptop in a couple of days (finally), Bob hasn't been working as well as he should, hence the reason why I haven't updated in a **while**. I'm very sorry, but this problem is **almost** taken care of.

**HAPPINESS!!! My favorite online manga, ****'The Way to Your Heart' (by: Emi)****, is off it's hiatus and back in motion::Does super happy dance:: So if there are any TWTYH fans out there reading this fiction, drop in and give a look at the two new pages she's submitted (they're both very well done)! For new readers, you can find it by going to: www. emi – art. com / twtyh / main. html (remove all spaces). I'm sure you'll love her work! . You can also find TWTYH by going threw yahoo and searching for: The Way to Your Heart – By Emi… What are you doing still reading this… Hurry and read chapter nine so you can check out Emi's FREE ONLINE MANGA!!! It's so unbelievably good and has a TRUE PROFESSIONAL QUALITY about it!**

**Disclaimer:** The honorable Rumiko Takashi has informed me that, since I haven't yet claimed 'Inu-Yasha' as my own, I've earned a cookie. ::Eats cookie:: Mmmm…

**Chapter Nine:** An Agreement… Sort of.

Kagome cursed as she awoke, her head pounding and her throat aching as though a ten ton weight had been dropped upon it from a thirty story window. Her misty blue eyes clenched tightly against the pain as she bit back a frustrated moan… It seemed that every time she was going to wake up on her mission, she was doomed to greet pain and discomfort.

She slowly sat up, brushing strands of raven black hair from her face as she did so as her eyes opened and took in her surrounding. The night air was crisp and delightful to her senses as she breathed it in, enjoying the freshness, though hating the fact that it masked most of what she could see. Though she could feel Shippou's body curled around her hip, his hand making a fist in the sparkling white of her gown.

A few feet away she could see the glowing red embers of a dying fire, and knew that Shippou must have built it while she'd slept. The poor boy must have been frightened as he'd watched Sesshoumaru's attempt to kill her, and she was amazed that he hadn't succeeded; sure that her father had a hand in her recovery as well as Shippou's herbs and remedies.

Peering down at her clothes she fingered the self-sustaining cloth of her dress, grinning to herself in satisfaction… She'd always wanted clothes that would repair themselves as Inu-yasha's fire rat coat had, and now that she'd finally gotten it, she was pleased to know it was everything she'd hoped it would be… No more sitting by the fire, trying to mend near destroyed skirts and shirts in futile effort! No more strenuous washing in freezing streams!

Shaking her head she dropped the cloth and looked about the tiny make-shift camp sight, noticing a lump against the trunk of a tree… Apparently Shippou couldn't find it within himself to completely ignore the older demon, as he'd been propped up a tree… However, as his legs were spread open wide with one of his arms flung out, she doubted her son was anything gentle about it.

Good, it served him right…

If she had the strength, she would have seriously considered standing up and kicking the stupid, stubborn, aggressive, vicious, mean spirited demon in the head!

… Well, maybe not the head, but certainly the shins.

Sighing she shook her head, bringing slender fingers to rub against her temple in concentration annoyed with the way the entire event had gone. She shouldn't have gotten angry, though to be perfectly honest with herself, it had been justifiable.

Why was it that all the demons she'd ever come into contact with had an ego the size of the Himalayas?! Were they all programmed in youth to act superior towards humans? Even when they were nice to her, they _still_ made sure to flaunt their power and physical strength.

If they weren't trying to kill her, they were trying to kidnap her; and if they weren't doing that, then they were belittling or making attempts to woo her. As though she were some kind of fascinating object that they wanted to take apart or own!

Growling she glared over towards the slouched form of Sesshoumaru, satisfied in the knowledge that she'd awoke first… He might be stronger, faster, and, as much as she hated to admit it, wiser; but at least she was able to relax with Shippou against her side, and watch the demon lords uncomfortable and awkward position.

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Sesshoumaru kept his eyes closed as he listened to the miko's breathing change it's deep calm pace of sleep, to shorter inhales at a faster rate. The stupid woman was probably staring at him by now, though he couldn't be sure without opening his eyes, and as the fierce pounding along the left side of his head didn't seem to lessen with time, he opted against that.

He hadn't felt in such pain since his mother was alive, punishing him for the lack of grace he'd had as a youth; or his weakness in strategy… While he'd disliked her in his younger years, he now knew she had been preparing him for the life he would one day be forced to lead. Giving him the strength to carry on his father's title with the same fierce protection, loyalty, and intelligence.

He mentally shook the thought off, pushing them back into a forgotten door and locking it shut once more, before he finally steeled himself and opened his eyes to look around the camp sight.

The kit had done rather well, though he must have forgotten to distinguish the fire before he fell asleep… And the fact that he'd took more concern with his care of the woman over the care of a demon lord spoke volumes of his loyalty and bravery…

Either that or the child was an idiot. Not that it mattered to him, of course, though he was curious about the loyalty the boy gave the human, rather then to the lord in which lands he was currently in.

This thought brought to mind that the woman had unofficially adopted the child demon as her own; much as he had done with Rin… Actually, the situation was exactly like his and Rins, if you switched the causing situations, of course.

The thought annoyed him slightly, causing a slight frown to appear as he closed the subject from thought. It served no purpose and lowered his stature to even be considering a connection, however slight, to a human… Especially a human _female._

Instead, he straightened his body out, crossing his legs together as he used his arm to lever himself into a more comfortable position against the tree trunk. At his movement he heard the miko give off a low and unladylike grunt of displeasure, and a small smirk stretched his mouth ever so slightly.

So the idiotic female had finally realized he was awake? Though he was curious as to how she'd managed to swing the same amount of energy at him as his mother had… While it was possible she'd learned it in death, he seriously doubted his mother would lower herself to conversing with a human, much less training one.

He ignored further thought on the subject, brushing it aside for a moment as he lifted his head up to stare past the foliage and into the sky. The stares sparkled within the darkness, and the moon shone brightly, lighting the ground below it with a romantic glow. The only thing that marred his appreciation was the fact that his side ached terribly and he had a human wench staring at him as though she wished nothing but to walk over and plant her foot directly into his ribs.

He was never one to lie to himself, and the thought that she might actually be able to injure him, however minor a wound she inflected, wasn't something he could simply ignore…

True, her miko powers really had little effect on him, but the fact that they had any effect was something to interesting to ignore. If, for some unknown reason, he did need her in the near future, it would be more convenient if she were close at hand instead of half the land over.

He blinked, arching a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at himself, _'Am I actually considering allowing her into my castle?'_ he questioned himself, thinking on it for a moment… To tell the truth, it probably wouldn't be so terrible…

His castle was large enough, and she didn't have to stay near his rooms, so he wouldn't have to see her much. Perhaps he could even put her in a different wing, rather then the one he resided in. It could hardly seem rude, as she was only a mere human…

She would also be able to entertain Rin while he was busy or away on business, rather then have the child constantly at his side, interrupting his work with talk of flowers and other frivolous matters… It would probably be good for the girl to have another human female around as well.

He snapped his eyes towards Kagome, piercing her with his cool stare for a moment as he judged what he knew of her. Testing the pros against the cons of having her underfoot within his lands.

She stared back at him, never once lowering her eyes as a proper female should as she countered his gaze with a steady one of her own. It also seemed as though she was silently challenging him to something. However, this also weighed in her favor, as he felt that his ward would need strength of will in order to survive within his care.

He continued to stare at her for a moment before speaking, "You will not disrespect this Sesshoumaru, nor will you revert to your former way of dressing." He ordered her suddenly, pleased when she jumped, "Nor will you ignore the rules I place upon you while you reside within my castle."

He paused a moment as he waited for her to agree, amused as her eyes narrowed a fraction. Taking this as an acceptance of sort he continued, "You will also control your child. I will not have him destroying my castle, nor creating a negative influence upon my charge."

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"Shippou's not a negative influence." She snapped at him, causing him to arch his brow at her once more. "And he won't 'destroy' your castle! He's well behaved and smart as a whip." She notched her chin as she spoke, proudly smoothing Shippou's hair as he continued to sleep beside her.

Sesshoumaru merely stared at her as she finished, as though silently contradicting her. It infuriated her, "And I don't want _you_ to be a _negative influence_ on _him_." He continued his calm observation of her, and she felt a slight blush heat her cheeks at his intense stare, thankful that the darkness masked the fact and furious that her nervousness was easily shown threw the soft red stain across her cheeks.

Clearing her throat she nodded her head, "I'll agree not to disrespect you, and I won't start wearing my old school uniform around, either." She had to grin at this, _'Where would I even _get_ another one?'_ she thought, holding back a laugh.

She could just picture herself popping up into her old school, which she would have already graduated from, and asking them if they would please allow her another chance at school, as her death had really only been an accident, and assuring them that it wouldn't happen again… Perhaps her grandfather could even come up with an excuse for her.

At this thought a soft chuckle did escape her, quickly turning into a solid laugh as she shook her head at the thought. _'He would be so happy to have his 'inspiration' return from death so that he could come up with even more fantastic stories!'_

"What are you laughing at, human?" Sesshoumaru's voice sounded, causing her mind to snap back to their conversation. Her blush deepened slightly and she worried that, should it grow anymore, the demon lord might see.

Clearing her throat she shook her head, "Nothing, Sesshoumaru."

"Lord Sesshoumaru." He corrected, looking away from her as he gracefully stood himself up, returning his eyes to her after a moment, "It is time for us to leave."

Kagome gaped at him, "Are you serious?!" she yelped, "It's got to be past midnight and Shippou's sleeping!" as though to prove her point the young boy suddenly let out a loud snort of laughter that quickly ended in a mumbled 'stupid tree'… If it had been another time and with another person, she probably would have laughed.

She gulped when he stared down at her, "I wish to be at the castle before day break." He turned away from her and began walking in the castles direction, leaving her to silently curse at him. She slowly pushed herself up, a moan of discomfort held back as her stiff neck bent while she picked everything up and shoved it all in the bag as quickly as she could.

Afterwards she gently scooped the still sleeping child into her arms and followed in Sesshoumaru's direction, thankful that his silver hair reflected the moon's light. Otherwise the stupid man would have disappeared completely, and she'd have been left to track his aura.

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(Remove spaces to read "The Way to Your Heart" by: Emi)

**Authors Note:** All right, I would just like everyone to know that I'm splitting my time between various things, such as Gaia (new account name: LasakoDarkshi, should you wish to look me up I love profile comments and donators!!! If you donate, I'll make it up to you! .), Alter Aeon (look me up as 'Sango') and (of course), fanfiction… This all happens within a three-hour time limit… All the rest of my time is dedicated to my daughter. .; Right now, I'm looking for a "Card Shark Visor", "Coco Kitty", and an "Angelic Bracelet", I'll take gold, tickets, and anything else you'd like to give!

I had the Coco Kitty almost bought before I got hacked, and I'll take gold towards donations as well! I could skip the Angelic Bracelet and just use a regular golden bracelet, but I REALLY need Coco and the visor.

**PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL CHARACTERS ADDED TO STORY WILL NOT BE A LARGE PART OF THE STORY!!!** But they will have a lot to do with the chapter that they are in, as I've got _plenty_ of roles for people to fill. ::Had a stroke of creativity::

**Gaia Account: **LasakoDarksh

: Wanted :

_Card Shark Visor (Questing)_

_Coco Kitty (Questing)_

_Dark Halo (I've always wanted one… All most had it too… However, I don't actually need it… Just want it really badly. ::Sigh::)_

_Gold and tickets towards wish list items (Always accepted!)_

**Myspace Account:** Lasako

**YIM Account:** flaminglasako (Please don't IM me with questions about the future plot, I refuse to indulge my readers with any hints as to what's going to happen next... Because I'm evil that way. .)

**Don't forget to add me to your friends lists!!! . It would thrill me to death to hear from any of you!**


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